The Favour
by 26hannah26
Summary: Angela asks Temperance for a BIG favour, one that could help start the family she longs for. Contains babies, HA loving, BB fluff and plenty of life-altering moments. R and R please! Currently being reuploaded due to page breaks disappearing. COMPLETE?
1. The Favour

A/N Howdy gang! I'm so scared about putting this story on here, want to know why? I have been working on this for EIGHT MONTHS. Yeah. Crazy, no? It has gone through numerous rewrites, has then been rewritten again from scratch because I lost the whole darn thing, and has finally emerged as a shadow of its former self (it started very dark and angsty, now it's a bit more light-hearted but still true to life, I hope). So I really hope you like it, because if you don't, all that trauma will have been in vain. Now, be forewarned, if you've read any of my other Bones stories, you'll know that I'm not exactly up to speed with the latest episodes (I'm getting better though!) – so if anything you read here doesn't exactly gel with what you've seen on TV, that's out of my hands. For God's sake don't flame me! Second note at the bottom, so I don't give anything away yet…

**November 2****nd**** 2008**

Temperance Brennan leaned back on her best friend's sofa and rested a hand on her stomach. Gently, she traced a pattern around her naval with her index finger, not really thinking about anything in particular. She found herself doing this more and more often, especially when she was in a particularly relaxed state.

She stretched out her long legs and crossed them before her at the ankles. She looked down at her feet, studying them. _'Remember how they look now, Tempe, 'cause you're not going to be seeing them for a while,'_ she thought, feeling both excited and nervous once again; it had been that way for the past two months, and she didn't think it would end anytime soon. She was definitely more excited than anything else. She hadn't felt that way at first, oh no, at first she had been so scared she had considered backing out, more than once. And more than once, she had been turned around when she thought about how _amazing_ this was going to be. Even though she was a scientist and had become, dare she say, blasé about biological processes, she still found nothing more amazing than the creation of life.

It had taken two tries, and numerous visits to doctors and clinics, but they had finally got there. She had finally gotten pregnant, and when those little blue lines finally showed up on that plastic stick after the most excruciating five minutes of their lives, they had both been totally swept away by the jumble of emotions that surged through them. Excitement, fear, ambivalence, worry, wanting, sheer happiness. Temperance had done some remarkable things in her life, but carrying a baby was the best so far, by miles. Multiple miles.

When she thought about it rationally, she theorized that for most couples the odds were that it would take more than one night of passion to make a baby. So maybe there wasn't anything wrong with her, having to make more than one attempt was just how it was supposed to happen – it wasn't like she had any past experience to compare this to.

When she started on this journey that she never thought she would ever embark upon, she had, perhaps naively, thought it would be simple. Procreation had occurred every day for millions of years, so why would it be different for her? When it didn't work the first time, she felt like she had failed for the first time in her life. But more than anything, she felt like she was letting one of the most important people in her life down.

She just couldn't help but feel like this was going to end too soon, and that was where the fear she constantly felt came from. She didn't know what she would do if she lost this baby. She didn't know what _they_ would do. This was so much bigger than just her. But for now, she was happy to sit on this sofa, this ugly but very comfortable piece of furniture that she had sat on so many times before, and enjoy this moment. Still rubbing her stomach, waiting for the bowl of popcorn to be brought out and the movie to begin.

Would there still be quiet Thursday evenings like this when the baby came? Neither of them had really thought that far ahead; they wouldn't let themselves. She hadn't planned out the baby's future like she assumed most pregnant women had. She had a friend from college who, before even becoming pregnant, had planned out her future offspring's lives, picked out schools, mentally decorated their nursery, decided on names, and hand-picked potential godparents. Temperance had barely thought beyond her morning meeting tomorrow. The truth was, it wasn't her future to plan.

She was shaken out of her trance-like state by the seductive smell of buttery popcorn being carried towards her in a big blue bowl. "Hot stuff, coming through! And I got drinks too – beer for me, diet Coke for you."

"Diet? What are you implying?" she accused good-naturedly, taking the glass and snaffling a handful of popcorn. Angela did the same as she sat down beside her.

"Nothing at all! It's just healthier than that sugary crap. How's squishy?"

"Squishy? I thought we said _no_ nicknames."

"Well, I'm not going to ask how the fetus is. That's just silly."

"No sillier than squishy. But he or she is fine. So long as I'm not vomiting, it's fine."

"Good. Are you happy, sweetie? You seem like you are, but I just want to be sure. Sometimes, you can be hard to read."

"I am, Ange. The influx of hormones can put a dampener on that sometimes, but overall I'm _very_ happy. If you need any more favours, just ask."

Angela laughed and placed her own hand on Temperance's stomach, her wedding and engagement rings from Hodgins sparkling in the light reflected from the TV. "I'll let you finish this one, first."

A/N2 Did I make it clear that she is Angela and Jack's surrogate? Or did you not pick up on that at all? Well, if not, I just clarified that for you! OK, so I love a pregnant Bones – it adds another interesting element to an already emotionally complex character (get me with my big words). It's not as out of character as my previous story, so I hope I get way less flames than last time. Part of the reason it took me so long to write this was that I was uncertain at how it would be received – a lot of people do struggle with infertility, and I didn't want anyone who might be reading to either be offended or think I'm making light of such situations. I'm really not. I've done my research and I know people who have had difficulty with fertility, so I hope that that shows through in what you read here. Well, I think I've rambled on enough, let me know what you think/whether you'd be interested in reading more etc. Thank you!


	2. The Question

A/N OK, so I hope you've got your flashback glasses on, 'cause we're going back in time. The story will continue as a flashback until chapter 5, sorry if that's a bit confusing! Secondly, if you recognise part of this story from somewhere else, it's because I stole it from a story I wrote on my other account. So yeah, I'm not a plagiariser, I merely borrow from myself, and I ask before I do it. Thirdly – shout out to Natalie, for keeping me in check when I was writing this, and for giving me some much-needed encouragement (plus she totally LOVED the sneak-peek that I gave her, which is always good!). Fourthly – reviews please! Thank you very much if you left one for the first chapter, they rock my world!

**February 9****th**** 2008**

In all the years that she had worked at the Jeffersonian, Temperance had only been late a handful of times – once when her car wouldn't start, twice when there had been an accident on the freeway and traffic was at a standstill. But those were circumstances that were totally out of her control; she had never been late purely because of something that she had done (or hadn't done).

Today, she had overslept by an hour. When she had finally rolled over in bed and checked the clock, the realisation that she was very late hit her, and a plethora of expletives erupted from her mouth as a result.

Temperance hauled herself out of her bed, and ran to the closet to find some clothes. She was due in court that afternoon, and still had to go over her notes and prepare some evidence before she took the stand. The last thing she needed was to be late.

She hurriedly pulled a pair of slacks over her legs. As her feet got caught and she tried to ram them up harder, she heard a loud ripping sound a looked down to see that they had split right down the seam. More cuss-words, more yelling, more rummaging in the closet. She grabbed a pair of jeans and the cleanest shirt she could find, and ran into the bathroom with them, emerging minutes later wearing them, but with a toothpaste stain down her front. 'No one will see it when I've got my lab coat on,' she thought, barely reassuring herself, but realising that she didn't have much choice as there was no time to change. Socks were pulled from a drawer, followed by shoes from the rack by the door, and Tornado Temperance left her apartment, almost shutting the door behind her before she remembered that she hadn't picked up her bag.

In the elevator down to the parking garage, she fumbled for her keys, panicking that she'd left them upstairs until her hand settled on them in the corner of her bag. If she _had_ been locked out of her apartment, she probably would have had a melt down. And that would not have been pretty.

Eventually, she pulled into her parking spot in the Jeffersonian garage and jogged into the lobby, past the two women sat behind the desk in reception (who didn't even notice the flustered doctor rush past, obviously in-depth in conversation or, more likely, mindless gossip). She was given the opportunity to stop and catch her breath as she waited for the elevator to take her up to the Anthropology department, but her relief soon turned to frustration as she found herself waiting impatiently, repeatedly pressing the button.

"Come on…" she muttered to herself, tapping her foot. She wasn't patient at the best of times, but even less so when she was very late already.

The messages left on her phone from Angela, Booth and Cam, which Temperance discovered when she switched her cell phone on in the car, seemed to be less interested in whether she was OK (especially in Cam's case) and more focussed on the fact that there was a lot of work to do and one less pair of hands to do it.

The team were working on one of the most high-profile cases of the year, which meant a lot of evidence to be analysed, a lot of paperwork to be completed, and even more media coverage to add to the pressure that they were all under.

Two year old Jennifer Bowen had been abducted from her bedroom a little over a year ago. Almost immediately, the local and national newspapers had zoomed in on the parents as prime suspects. The police weren't so forthcoming with their opinion on any suspects – there was simply no evidence. No evidence until three days ago, when Jennifer's body was found. At first, the police were certain that it _wasn't_ her body, as it had been assumed that Jennifer had been killed shortly after being abducted. Last night, Temperance had confirmed that the body had only been in the ground for three months, and she had unofficially confirmed that it was, in fact, Jennifer's body – all she had left to do was the paperwork.

She had been doing a mental to-do list as she rode the elevator up to the right floor, as she did every morning, but as she stepped out into the clinical environment she was pounced upon by Cam.

"Where have you been, Doctor Brennan?" she barked. "A call would have been nice."

"Sorry, I overslept. But I'm ready to go. Has Angela completed the facial reconstruction and the age progression?" She carried on walking and Cam had to power walk to keep up with her long strides.

"She was just finishing up when I last saw her. But then again, some of us have actually been working this morning, so forgive me for not keeping tabs on her." With that, she flounced off back to her office. Temperance chose to ignore Cam's bad mood and go to her own office to dump her bag and start on making her findings on the girl's identity official.

Like a kind of ritual, Temperance walked into her office, flipped the light switch, set her bag and thermos of coffee on the desk, and turned on her computer. As she sat down in her leather swivel chair, her eyes settled on the huddled shape her sofa.

"Ange?"

"Hey, sweetie," she smiled weakly and sniffled. "Why are you so late?"

"I overslept. What's wrong?"

"Oh, nothing. I'm just being silly."

"Angela, I know I'm not particularly receptive to people's feelings. But you're crying on my couch." She went over to sit next to her, putting her arm around her shoulder. "Come on. Is it the case?"

"That and a bunch of other stuff. I just…" She sighed and wiped her eyes.

"Just what, Ange?"

"Do you think the parents killed that little girl?"

"I don't know. But if they did, we'll find the evidence and they'll pay for what they did. Don't worry about it."

"But how could anyone kill a child? How could they do that when there are so many people out there who can't have children, people who would love to take care of that little girl?"

"I'm not sure what to tell you. It's hard not to get emotionally involved sometimes, but you just have to try to distance yourself."

"Temperance, I… We're best friends, right?" She paused and continued when her friend nodded. "Well there's something that I haven't been telling you. About why I feel so 'emotionally involved'."

"What's going on, Ange?"

"Jack and I have been trying to have a baby."

"That's great!" Temperance exclaimed, missing the point entirely.

"It would be if it was actually working for us. We were so naïve to think it would be as easy as just having sex."

"Well you probably won't get pregnant right away. Sometimes it takes a few months."

"We've been trying properly for six, but we did away with birth control eight months ago."

"Oh. Well, give it time."

"We've been to the fertility specialist and she did all kinds of tests. We've even been thinking about aromatherapy and acupuncture. But we can't start on IVF until we've been trying for a year."

"It'll happen soon, just have patience."

"Thanks, sweetie. I know you probably don't get why it's such a big deal."

"Procreation is arguably the most life process. It's integral for the survival of the human race, so I can see why it's something that you would want to do."

"I knew you'd say something like that."

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

**April 14****th**** 2008**

A month after Jennifer Bowen's parents were acquitted of their daughter's murder, Temperance and Angela were due to meet for drinks in a bar by the Jeffersonian. They were still working on the little girl's case, but they weren't making much headway, so once work was done for the day they just wanted to get away from it all. They all felt so helpless for not being able to do more – Booth kept thinking about how he would feel is someone had hurt his son but the authorities couldn't find any evidence, Angela and Jack were reminded that they were childless every time they went into work, and Cam kept seeing her niece's face on Jennifer's body.

Tonight, however, they were celebrating Angela's birthday and trying to forget about a particularly damning article that had been written about the Jeffersonian's lack of progress in the case.

"Why can't they accept that we're doing everything that we can?" Angela asked, shaking her head, as the two women sat down at the bar. "What do they want us to do, fabricate evidence?"

"We've tested for every chemical that would still be detectable after all this time. There's no damage to the bones. All we know about this girl is that her kidnapper kept her alive for nine months."

"So there's nothing we can do. It's like JonBenet all over again."

"Who?"

"Just another murdered child whose killer hasn't been found and brought to justice." She sighed heavily.

"No luck this month, I take it?"

"Nope. But we got the results back from the fertility experts."

"And?"

"Well…" she began, taking a long sip of her Virgin Mary. "We've got low sperm count, irregular ovulation and a volatile uterus thrown in for good measure." She punctuated her sentence with another sip of her drink, then slammed the glass back down onto the table. Temperance had never seen her like this – she had seen her sad before, and she had been angry plenty of times, but never at the same in such a conflicted way.

"Oh Ange, I'm, sorry."

"Yeah, me too. Jack feels like it's his fault. He feels so… Inadequate. Like he should be able to make a baby easily just because he's a scientist. _I_ feel pretty useless, too. This is something mankind has been doing for millions of years, without any issues. There _can't _have been any issues, or I wouldn't be here talking to you now. It's just so frustrating, not knowing why it's happening to us."

"I wish there was something I could do." Platitudes like that were supposed to make people feel better, but it never seemed to work when Temperance tried to dole them out.

"You wanna be a surrogate?"


	3. The Decision

A/N Hey people! Thank you so much for the reviews, they make me so very happy! We are still in a flashback, I hope you're not too confused by it. I have another 5 or 6 chapters written, but I'll take any suggestions you may have and try to work them in. So yeah, I hope you enjoy this one!

**April 14****th**** 2008**

Temperance had never been any good at understanding jokes. It wasn't that she didn't have a sense of humour, she did, it was just that she got to the punch line on her own, so that when she was _told_ the punch line she didn't laugh because she had already worked it out pretty quickly.

Right now, as she sat beside her best friend at the bar, bartenders and waitresses in short skirts bustling around them blissfully unaware of what had been asked of her, Temperance frowned before she looked back to Angela.

"Are you kidding? Because you know I don't really do jokes."

"I'm sorry. I _was _kidding, but it actually makes sense. But I didn't mean to just blurt it out like that. I freaked you out, didn't I?"

"A little. I agree that it makes sense, but you haven't tried IVF yet. Don't you think you should only try surrogacy as a last resort?"

"The doctor told me the chances of getting pregnant and staying pregnant are pretty slim. So surrogacy _is_ our last resort. The ovulation and sperm count issues can be overcome with IVF, but that's all pointless if my womb isn't up to scratch. That's where you come in…"

"Have you talked to Jack about it?"

"Yeah. He says as long as I'm happy and we get a baby at the end of it, then he's cool with it." Suddenly, she grabbed Temperance's hand. "But if you don't want to do it, we'll totally, completely understand. It's not like we're asking to borrow your car or a couple of bucks, we want to borrow your body for crying out loud! We wouldn't ask you if we didn't think you could handle it – you're the strongest person I know, if anyone could do this, you can."

"I don't have to decide now, do I?"

"God, no! Take as long as you need, it's a big decision."

"It's a huge decision. I don't know if I can do it, Ange. I'm honoured that you'd ask me, but I'm sure there are women out there who are more… suitable. Like someone who actually likes children."

"All you have to do is the pregnancy part, sweetie."

"_All_ I have to do?"

"I know it's a lot to ask. It's a big favour. But you'll be giving us a child, Temperance." Tears threatened to spill out of Angela's eyes as she thought about finally getting to be a mother. She wiped them away quickly and got up. "I'd better go; Jack's taking me out for a special birthday dinner. Just think about it, sweetie, OK?"

Temperance turned to watch her walk past burly men in leather jackets and pouty women, before she disappeared out of the door, into the dimming light outside.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

**April 15****th**** 2008**

When she arrived at work the next morning, Angela hadn't expected Temperance to find her immediately and tell her that she's made a decision, but she _was _a little surprised to hear from Cam that she and Booth had already left. Temperance _always _waited for Angela to arrive before she went off to see any remains.

"She's avoiding me," Angela told Jack, sitting in the chair at his desk and peering under the microscope at a slide he had just set up. "I freaked her out."

"Well you did ask to borrow her uterus. You know she doesn't take any decision lightly, so she probably needs a little more time."

"But I don't want to give her the chance to change her mind!"

"Just give her time, Angela."

"But we've waited so long already!"

"And waiting a little longer for Temperance to decide whether this is something she wants to do or not won't make a difference. Don't pressure her into it." He leaned down and kissed the top of her head. "I need to do some work."

"Me too. I'll see you later for lunch?"

"You bet."

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Booth leaned back against his car door and sighed as he reached into his pocket for his cell phone. He was annoyed that it started ringing just as he had been about to ask Temperance what was causing her to be so distracted this morning – she had barely said a word in the car on the way out to the abandoned quarry in which they were standing, even when he switched the radio station to one that was broadcasting a political debate. That was certainly not like her.

"Booth," he said quietly into the receiver in his usual way.

"_Hey, it's Hodgins, are you busy?"_

"It depends on what you want."

"_Is Brennan with you?"_

"She's wrist deep in corpse right now," he said, casting a glance behind him to where she was working, "So I won't be passing her the phone if that's OK with you."

"_Actually, it was you I wanted to talk to. Has she told you about last night?"_

"No, what happened?"

Jack sighed and began to tell the story, but thought better of it. If she said no, he didn't want everyone knowing about his and Angela's problems. _"To cut a long story short, Angela's worried that Brennan is freaked out about something they were talking about last night. She wanted me to call you to find out if she's alright."_

"She seems fine, just quieter than usual. I always thought it would be great if she lost her voice or something, but…" He let the sentence trail off, not wanting to admit that he was worried about her. There was definitely something wrong, something that was bothering her.

"_OK, thanks man. Take it easy."_

Booth hung up and turned back to look at Temperance. She didn't look up, just kept working, occasionally frowning as she wiped her forehead on her arm.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Hey, Bones, wait up!" Booth jogged to keep up with her as she walked quickly back to the car. She had just finished up with the remains and had made sure they were going to be transported back to the Jeffersonian safely. She turned towards him when he caught up to her.

"Can we just hurry up and get out of here?"

"What's up with you today?"

"Nothing, I'm just tired."

"Because of last night?"

She stopped dead, and was a little amused to see him continue for a few more steps until he realised she was no longer walking with him. "Who told you about that?"

"Hodgins, but…"

"Hodgins? Why?"

"He said Angela's worried about you. What happened?"

"I thought Hodgins told you."

"He didn't go into the details." He put his hand on her arm gingerly, and was relieved when she didn't shake it off right away. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"No! Why are you being so weird? Look, Angela asked me to do her a favour and I'm not sure if I should. That's all."

"Well, she's your best friend, so what is there to think about."

This was what she had heard people refer to as an epiphany – everything that had been going on between her and her best friend finally clicked into place. He was actually making a lot of sense. That was what she should have realised all along – Angela needed her, and that should have been enough for Temperance to agree to it all along. Any good friend would have said yes to Angela's request right away, without even having to think about it. She felt guilty for making her wait for an answer, and for making her worry. "You're right. Thanks, Booth."

She flashed him a smile and continued her brisk walk back to the car, leaving him standing there contemplating what exactly she was thanking him for and what it was that he had actually helped her with. "You're welcome!"

A/N2 Please leave me lots of love and reviews, I have to go back to school tomorrow and I am NOT happy!


	4. The Procedure

A/N First off, thank you SO much for all the reviews for the last chapter, they really did make my day! Now, flashback within a flashback, people, I hope you're keeping up. We are not back to present day yet, but we will be… Eventually. I don't know, I'm confused too! Between chapters 6 and 7; that's where the introduction chapter fits in the story (I actually planned this story before I started writing, you can't tell can you?!). Y'know, in the course of researching for this story, I found that there really isn't a whole lot of information or support out there for surrogates, or those considering surrogacy. There's plenty telling you how it's done and the procedures involved, but no advice on the legal side of things, even what to expect when you give the baby up. I find this quite odd, and somewhat worrying. Anyway, reviews please and thank you, and I hope you enjoy this chapter!

**June 27****th**** 2008**

"You can still back out if you want to," Angela said, shuffling in her hard plastic seat. They had only been sitting in the waiting room of the doctor's office for ten minutes, but they were both already very uncomfortable.

"No I can't, it's too late." Seeing the crestfallen look on her friend's face, she added: "But I'm happy to do this for you, Angela. I _want_ to do this."

"You're sure?"

"Yes."

"This should be fairly painless, right? I mean, everything is sorted, embryo-wise. We've done all of the tests, they've harvested my eggs, Jack 'made love to a cup', as he so delicately put it, so now all you have to do is lie back and thing of something fun. Like Keanu Reeves."

"Because it's _so_ easy to confuse Keanu Reeves with cold medical instruments."

Both women were silent for a few minutes, still uncomfortable, focusing on how uncertain they were about what was going to happen next. Temperance had done her research, which she had then shared with Angela, but there is only so much you can find out from the internet. She had even trawled through IVF forums in the hopes of finding a gem of information, but there was virtually no information for potential surrogates.

"You want me to hold your hand?"

"You don't have to."

"I'd like to."

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

The room was cold, her hospital gown was drafty, and she felt even more uncomfortable than she had outside – and not just about the fact that she was practically nude. About the fact that in a few minutes she would be getting three embryos implanted. That was another thing that scared her - she understood that there was a better chance of getting pregnant if they put more than one in, but the prospect of a multiple pregnancy was a little too much for her. Sure, she wanted to help her friends, but understandably she was apprehensive about putting her body through so much.

Swinging her legs against the side of the metal bed, Temperance was beginning to feel nervous. She wasn't sure why – it wasn't like she expected this whole thing to work first time around. She kept telling Angela not to get her hopes up, but judging by the way her friend kept squeezing her hand and telling her how exciting the experience was, it was probably a little too late. Temperance would catch her eye every so often and Angela would beam back at her, not-so-subtly letting her know just how important what she was doing was, and how much it meant to she and Jack.

"Isn't this weird? Just think, by the end of the day you could be pregnant..." Angela trailed off, obviously becoming lost thinking about her impending parenthood. Temperance began to feel her heart pounding again as the doctor came into the room and shut the door behind him.

"Good afternoon, ladies, I'm Doctor Reese. How are you both?"

Angela smiled broadly and started to explain how she was excited yet nervous, but all Temperance could do was give a strange little squeak.

"You don't have to be nervous, Miss Brennan, it's a fairly simple procedure."

"I'm aware of how it works." '_Well, sort of.' _She was _Doctor _Brennan, after all. She had researched until she thought she would go mad, she had consulted numerous people, talked to her lawyer, she had even thought about talking to Sweets. The only person she hadn't talked to was the one person she needed to most – Booth. It wasn't like she hadn't tried to tell him – she had come close a handful of times, but it just felt kind of weird. They were friends, and they were supposed to be able to have a discussion about anything, but there was something causing her to hold back. Angela had said that she didn't want everyone in the lab to know about what was going on until they were certain that it would work, but she had wanted to tell Booth about it too.

"Alright, then shall we begin?"

Lying back on the bed, Temperance thought about the series of events that had led up to this moment. She remembered the fear she felt as she tried to make a decision, and she suppressed a laugh as she recalled how her partner had unknowingly played a huge part in it. And, her favourite memory of them all, she remembered the pride she felt as she told Angela she would carry her baby…

"_Angela, I've thought about this long and hard. Anthropologically, I understand that the need to procreate can be hard to ignore, and socially I think I understand your 'need to be a mother'…"_

"_But?"_

"_But what?" she asked, confused. "I've decided that I will be your surrogate."_

"_Really?!"_

"_Of course, Ange."_

"_What made you decide?"_

"_I like to think that, if the situation was reversed, you'd do the same for me. And you asked me to!" Angela hugged her tightly, and Temperance could tell she had just made her day._

It hadn't been a hard decision for Temperance to make – as Booth had said, she was helping a friend so that was the most important thing that she had to consider. But she had never wanted a child of her own, not really. She wasn't exactly known for her strong maternal instinct, and she had never been sure about whether she could love anything, or any_one_, more than her work. She was happy with her life as it was – if she was a mother, she wouldn't be able to jet across the world on a moments notice to examine remains, she wouldn't be able to work all the hours she wanted, and she wouldn't have time to do the little things that she so often took for granted, like eating at good restaurants or sleeping late on weekends. For her, motherhood would be a hindrance more than anything else.

But she was able to carry a child, unlike so many other women who couldn't, and sometimes when she thought about her future childless existence she felt a little guilty. Just because she didn't want children of her own didn't mean she couldn't help someone else have a child. So she agreed to be Angela's surrogate; to help her best friend become a mother.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

**June 28****th**** 2008**

After the procedure, Angela took Temperance home. On the way, she had asked her friend no less than five times if she felt any different. Each time, she replied by saying that no, she didn't, and she doubted that she would for a while. No matter how many times she explained that getting pregnant wouldn't be immediate, she couldn't help but feel like Angela wasn't hearing her.

The next day, Angela barely let Temperance out of her sight, following her around the lab, making sure that she wasn't 'overexerting herself'.

"I thought you might want to take the day off," she said , a hint of apprehension in her voice, as she watched Temperance dashing back into her office after spending most of the afternoon examining some remains.

"Why? I'd only be bored at home."

"Well, I just thought that you might want to take it easy for a little bit."

"No, I'm fine."

"OK. Well, I got you a present!"

"What is it?" Temperance held the long rectangular package, wrapped in pink patterned paper. It felt like a box, and when she held it to her ear and shook it, it rattled.

"Open it and see."

She ripped off the paper and dropped it onto her desk, where it sat in a crumpled heap along with numerous case files and an old Snickers wrapper. A pregnancy test. "Oh… thanks, Ange." She turned the box over in her hands and examined it – her friend was being a little bit overly-hopeful. It would be far too soon to tell if she was pregnant yet. She was startled to look up to see Angela gazing hopefully at her. "You don't want me to take it now, do you? I'm kind of busy."

"It can't hurt, right? I mean, all you have to do is pee on the stick, it won't take more than five minutes."

"But I don't want _you_ to be hurt if it comes up negative – I really think we should wait a little longer."

"We can do another one in a few weeks. For now, just humour me, OK?"

Temperance sighed. Once Angela set her mind to something, there was no turning her around. "OK, Ange."

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

**July 11****th**** 2008**

When the pregnancy test came up negative, just as Temperance had warned her, Angela had looked really disappointed. She had only perked up when she remembered that they would be doing another one in two weeks, on Monday morning. Temperance had thought they would do it before work, perhaps before they went out for breakfast as they sometimes did when they didn't have much to do. She didn't expect to find Angela knocking on her door before the alarm clock had even gone off. When she said they'd do another test today, Temperance didn't think that she meant _before_ the sun came up.

In response to this, Angela spouted some well researched information about there being 'some kind of pregnancy hormone in your pee first thing in the morning, so the test is more likely to be accurate.' She then proceeded to ask whether she had been to the bathroom yet this morning.

"I haven't done _anything_ yet this morning. Come on in."

As Angela handed her the pregnancy test she had brought with her, Temperance thought she was about to follow her into the bathroom, but thankfully she decided to lean against the wall in the hallway. Temperance followed the instructions on the back of the box, and called Angela in to wait with her for the designated amount of time.

"Sweetie, I need to ask you something. If this doesn't work, will you be willing to try again?"

"Sure. I'm willing to try as many times as you and Hodgins want to."

"Well, we're about to find out if that will be the case. Are you ready?"

A/N2 Yeah, cliffhanger, aren't I a bitch?! OK, so there was no way of making all that procedural stuff at the beginning sound at all interesting (and was it awfully angsty? I hope not...), so I hope you didn't switch off – if you stuck with it, I'll give you cookies if you give a review! Have a nice day!


	5. The Second Try

A/N OK, I hope you aren't sick of the procedural stuff because there's more in this chapter. But then that's it for the rest of the story and there will be BB fluff from here on out. Yay! Oh, and this doctor's sweatshirt thing is becoming kind of a trademark for me – I seem to use it everywhere. I have no idea why, I guess when you say doctor I think bad fashion sense. Am I like the only person who likes Sweets? Because everyone I know who watches the show doesn't like him at all. Give me your opinions. Go on.

**August 14****th**** 2008**

While they had mentally prepared themselves for this from the outset, Temperance and Angela were a little surprised that the pregnancy test was negative. They had a plan in place for this very situation – they would ultimately try again, when they were all ready – but they felt so dejected and disenchanted at this point, they weren't sure right now whether than plan would be executed.

The two women had sat on the edge of the bath, Temperance holding it and Angela crumpling the box that it came in between her hands, staring blankly at the white space where the two lines should have been. They sat for far longer than the designated amount of time, but nothing appeared. Angela wanted to take another test, in case the one they had just used was faulty, but Temperance persuaded her to go home and spend the rest of the day with her husband.

It hadn't taken long for Temperance to decide that she was ready to try again. In fact, once she had had a few days to relax and gather her thoughts, she knew she was ready. And that was how she and Angela ended up back at the clinic the next month.

The reception area where they had sat last time, and were sitting in now, was more populated than it had been a month ago. The room seemed to be clearly divided into two distinct groups – pregnant and not pregnant. The women, all in varying states of gestation, along with their partners, were all occupying chairs along the wall closest to the doors of the offices and examination rooms (presumably because most of them were too fat to move, Temperance thought). The others, including Temperance and Angela, were all sitting restlessly on the opposite side of the narrow room, flicking through ancient magazines and crossing and uncrossing their legs.

The two of them were finally called into the doctor's office by a petite nurse with an ambiguous European accent, who had caused every woman in the waiting area to look up with faces betraying their anticipation at having their own names called.

"We can still back out, you know," Angela said, squeezing her friend's hand tightly. "Just say and we can leave right now."

"The only place we're going is through that door." She pulled Angela up from her seat and they followed the nurse past the reception desk and the row of pregnant women, down the hallway.

"Good morning, ladies," Doctor Reese said as they went into his office. Despite his stern demeanour, he was actually a friendly and jovial man, who always told Temperance a joke before telling her to put her feet in the stirrups. And she was always impressed with his taste in sweatshirts – his choice today had a picture of a mule and read 'Missouri – the Show-Me State!', which she felt was quite apt given the situation. "Are we ready to try again?"

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

**August 22****nd**** 2008**

Dr Sweets looked up from the file he had been reading, balanced precariously on his knee as he sat in his usual chair, disturbed by a soft tapping coming from the far wall of his office. No one ever knocked on his office door; they usually just took it upon themselves to walk right in. As he walked across the room, he wondered who he might find on the other side of the door – he guessed it wouldn't be someone coming to ask about his weekend. Turning the handle, he was surprised to see Dr Temperance Brennan standing before him, and even more surprised to see that she had come alone – either Agent Booth had finally let her have the more active role in their crime-fighting partnership that she so obviously craved, or she was here on a different matter not pertaining to any case.

"Sweets, I was wondering if I could talk to you about something. Confidentially?"

"Everything we discuss is confidential, Dr Brennan, it's one of the caveats of my profession. It comes with the title of 'doctor'."

"Well, what you do and being a medical doctor don't really compare."

"I find it intriguing how you ask me for help and then belittle me in the space of thirty seconds. It's actually a good example of defensive behaviours, you see, when you…"

"Stop that, please, you know I hate your psychological mumbo-jumbo."

"Take a seat and tell me what's on your mind." He watched her sit in one of the armchairs opposite him, and waited for her to begin. When it looked more like she was waiting for him to say something first, he prompted her. "What did you want to talk about?"

"I want to ask you a question about pseudoscience…"

"Because, being the conman that I am, I would know about all things pseudoscientific?"

"Exactly."

"You're serious, aren't you?"

"Why wouldn't I be? Well, as you know, I believe that psychology doesn't hold much weight. But I need some information. For a case."

"OK, shoot."

"I was wondering if you knew of any studies of women who offer to be gestational surrogates?"

"Off the top of my head? A study of British surrogates showed that they rarely have issues relinquishing the child, and that they showed greater warmth towards the child than a woman who had conceived naturally. Many surrogates establish distancing techniques to ensure that they don't form an emotional bond with the baby."

"Well that doesn't sound so spurious. It actually makes sense."

"Try not to sound so surprised. Here's something else you might like: anthropological studies have shown that the surrogate will often try to promote bonding between the biological mother and the unborn baby." He watched her scribble down everything he had just said into a notebook, curious as to why she was deciding to listen to what he had to say now. "Dr Brennan, I hope you don't mind me asking but, don't you normally have Agent Booth with you when you come here about a case?"

"Thank you for your concern, Sweets, but I'm an adult. I don't need him to accompany me all the time." She had always thought she was quite a good liar, but when faced with someone quite good at detecting a liar, she naturally came up short. She decided that getting out of his office as soon as possible would be in her best interest right now.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

**August 22****nd**** 2008**

When Temperance and Angela met for a late lunch that afternoon, conversation naturally turned to pregnancy and all things related to it.

"Sweetie, I'm worried. Do you still feel OK about everything? Because it's too late to back out now."

"Of course. I was apprehensive, but I spoke to Sweets this morning and he enlightened me about the psychology behind surrogacy. Some of what he said wasn't absolute twaddle, so would you like to hear it?"

"You spoke to Sweets? That guy is like a human foghorn!"

"I just asked him to quote some research, I didn't tell him _why_ I was asking."

"I just don't want people to know yet. I guess I'm just scared of jinxing things; like if we told them, they'd get excited for us and then we'd all end up disappointed. I don't want to disappoint everyone."

"I don't think they'll be disappointed, I think they'll be happy for you and Jack. If this doesn't work, they won't think 'Oh, how sad for us', they'll think 'Oh, how sad for Hodgins and Angela, I hope they're OK'. Does that make sense?"

"Strangely, it does."

"But I won't tell anyone if that's what you want. We three will be the only ones that know."

"You mean you haven't told Booth?"

"I know you think we tell eachother everything, but we really don't. I am more than capable of keeping a secret."

"I just assumed you would have told him, that's all."

"Why do you sound disappointed that I haven't? You just said yourself that you didn't want the people we work with to know yet."

"I know, but I think we should make an exception for him. You need someone impartial to talk to about all this, and Jack and I could use someone to offer up parenting tips."

A/N2 The next chapter is the one you've all been waiting for… Booth finally finds out! So hit that button down there, I really appreciate you guys taking the time to do so!


	6. The Telling

**A/N **I love this chapter. Seriously. I hope you love it as much as I do. This is the snippet that I gave Natalie, and her reaction (screaming) should clue you in as to why I like it so much. And the fact that it is THE Booth chapter. If you get the time, could you guys please vote in the poll on my profile? It concerns my next Bones story (I know, already planning the next one! I have been away from this whole writing thing for a while, I need to make the most of my mojo while it's still here). So tell me what you think, be brutally honest if you have to (there is the option haha) it's just a plot-bunny that won't go away. So yeah, you know the drill: read, enjoy, review, Hannah smiles and writes more because she is rapidly running out of finished chapters. Oh yes, and we are back in the present day in the second section thingy – that is logically where chapter one goes. I am so very confused…

**September 29****th**** 2008**

"OK, take two," Angela said. She was trying to lighten the mood so she wouldn't keep thinking about the last time she had Temperance were together in a bathroom. It was when they had done the second pregnancy test, the second negative, which still hurt her to think about. She had tried desperately hard not to get her hopes up about this time, but sometimes she found her mind running away with her, and before she knew it she was imagining how it would feel to hold her baby in her arms in nine months time.

This time around, they had tried to wait as long as possible to do the pregnancy test. They didn't do a test the day after transfer like last time, and they managed to hold on for almost three weeks until they couldn't take the waiting anymore. The two of them had gone to the pharmacy after work to pick up three pregnancy tests (every scientist knows you should have a control test and repeat the conditions of the non-control at least once), then had gone back to Angela and Hodgins' house. Temperance had slept in the spare room that night, so the three of them could be together when they found out whether or not this time had worked for them. That was why they were all crammed into the small guest bathroom together early the next morning.

"Who's going to look at the results?" Temperance asked, hoping it wouldn't have to be her. This wasn't the kind of experiment she liked.

"I think you should," Angela replied. Then they both had the same idea.

"Hodgins," they said in unison.

"So I have to touch the pee-sticks? Good thing I keep rubber gloves in the house…" He went off to get them from his office down the hall, leaving the two women alone.

"I hope he's quick, I can't wait much longer, Sweetie."

"So take a look!"

"No! I can't, I'm scared!"

"Never fear, ladies, Dr. Pregnancy Test is here. Are we ready?" Angela and Temperance nodded, his attempt at humour having absolutely no effect on them, and he snapped his gloves theatrically. "Alrighty then." He picked the tests up one at a time, taking in the verdict on each one. "OK." His wife tried desperately to read his facial expression, but he remained completely neutral, until he smiled widely and pulled Temperance into a hug. "Somebody make this girl some pancakes, 'cause she's eating for two!"

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

**October 15****th**** 2008**

All eyes in the room were glued to the fuzzy image on the screen in front of them (or to the side if you were Temperance, who craned her neck to catch a glimpse of the life growing inside her). It was difficult to tell exactly what they were looking at, but when the sonographer pointed out the baby, they could see it as clear as day. Angela stifled a sob as she looked at her unborn child through teary eyes.

"Jack, that's our baby! Ours!"

"I know. That's me and you in there," he said, kissing his wife on the cheek.

"I'd offer to give you two a minute alone with the screen," Temperance piped up, not wanting to disrupt the moment for them, "But, you know… I sort of have to be here."

Before she knew what was happening, Angela was out of her chair by the bedside and had her arms round her friend's neck, hugging her tightly. Tears ran down her face and dripped down onto her shirt. "Thank you so much, Sweetie. You have no idea what this means to me, to us."

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

**November 9****th**** 2008**

On the way to work the next day, Booth and Brennan stopped to pick up some coffee at a Starbucks. They chatted about the case as they queued up in the characteristically long line in front of the counter, and continued as they went to pick up sugar and napkins from another counter by the door.

"OK, Bones, we know the brother-in-law lied about seeing Dan Rogers on the night he died, and we know he owns a serrated knife similar to the murder weapon. What else is there?"

"You need to check out his alibi. But even if his can't account for his whereabouts, we can't prove definitively that his knife is the knife that killed the victim."

He sighed and stirred a packet of sugar into his coffee with a little too much force. "Well, do some chemical test. I'm sure you, genius that you are, have got something you can dissolve him in or whatever. Something to make the knife marks more visible?"

"Sorry, I can't."

"Why not?" he asked, taking a sip of his coffee, trying not to burn himself.

"Because I'm pregnant."

He spluttered, the coffee that had been in his mouth seconds before now sat splattered inelegantly on the table in front of him, completely taken aback by her statement and the nonchalant way she had said it. She handed him a napkin to mop up the spill. "What?"

"I'm pregnant. Dealing with such harsh toxic chemicals isn't safe for the fetus. But when Hodgins gets back, I'm sure he wouldn't mind taking a look at the bones if you asked him to."

"Pregnant? Wow. I, uh… didn't know you were seeing anyone."

"I'm not," she said, curious as to what would make him say that.

"Then whose baby is it?"

"I don't think you'll understand if I tell you."

"Try me."

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

After mopping up the remains of Booth's coffee, all the while being stared at by a snooty Starbucks employee, they decided it was best to leave. They had intended to drive back to the Jeffersonian, but Temperance had started to tell him the story of how she came to be pregnant; he was still trying to take everything in, so he hadn't actually got round to starting the ignition.

"It's Angela and Jack's baby. You are carrying their baby."

"Yes. I'm not sure that they'd be comfortable with me discussing _all_ of the details of their struggle to conceive with you, but basically this was their last resort to have a child of their own."

"Well, what made you decide to be their surrogate? I mean, did they ask you or did you offer."

"Angela asked me. It wasn't a difficult decision to make, and I'm not sure whether you realised it or not, but you influenced my decision."

"What? How?"

"I didn't think you'd remember. It was a few months ago. We were out in a quarry near Anacostia Park, and you said to me that Hodgins had told you that I was upset about something that Angela had said to me; I wasn't, but that's not the point. And I told you that she had asked me a favour, but I wasn't sure whether I should do it or not. Do you remember what you said to me?"

He thought for a moment, and then, as he remembered their conversation, repeated the words to her: "That she was your friend and needed something from you, so that should be all you needed to think about."

"Exactly."

"Why didn't you tell me?" His voice was strangely calm, she noticed, but his eyes seemed to give away that he was hurt that she had kept this from him.

"I didn't know how to. And I didn't know what you'd think. This isn't something that happens every day. I'm sorry."

"You don't have to be sorry. How far along are you?"

"Ten weeks. You're not really supposed to tell anyone until twelve weeks apparently, but I wanted to tell you. And Angela wanted you to know, so you could give her parenting tips."

"I'll stop by her office and congratulate her when we get back. This is a really great thing you're doing, you know."

"Remind me of that when I start complaining about morning sickness and hormones, OK?"

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

**November 14****th**** 2008**

Brennan and Booth walked back into the lab. They had been interrogating a suspect since earlier that morning, and had only just got something useful out of him – that he had a solid alibi for the time period that he was _supposed_ to be murdering his brother-in-law. Now they had to start from the beginning again.

As they came around the corner, they saw Angela headed towards them, looking like she had just discovered something that could help them out.

"That piece of paper in the victim's pocket? It had a Maryland address on it. I did some digging around, and guess what it's the address of – a Laundromat with numerous citations for holding illegal poker games in the back room."

"Well that_ is_ interesting, considering his wife was adamant that he had given up gambling for good," Booth said, taking the file from Angela and scanning over it quickly.

"Didn't Hodgin's find a plastic disc on the body? It was too desecrated to get anything off it, but it could have been a poker chip. I'll go see what he thinks." She jogged off towards his station, and Angela turned to Booth with a horrified expression on her face.

"She is _never_ going to slow down! I'm worried that she's overexerting herself – I don't want her to hurt herself, or the baby. She listens to you, will you please do something? Talk to her, lock her in her house if you have to!"

"She knows what she's doing. More than you think she does, I bet. You just have to trust her."

"I know," she sighed. "I adore her, and she's been my best friend for years, but she's not exactly the most maternal woman I've ever met."

"You know, I can't think of anyone else I'd rather have carrying my baby. I mean, she's probably already worked out exactly how much milk she had to drink to make sure she gets enough calcium for the baby's bone development."

"That's a very good point," she said, giving him a knowing smile and trying her hardest not to laugh. He frowned when he noticed her reaction to his statement.

"And I bet you're currently reading way too much into what I just said, am I right?"

"Uh-huh. You love her."

"You're delusional. Don't you have a nursery to go decorate or something?"

"Don't try and change the subject, Seeley Booth, or I'll get Sweets in here and ask him what _he_ makes of that statement."

"So this is what I get for trying to reassure you. Good luck with the next nine months, Angela." He scowled at her and walked back in the direction he had just come from. That's the last time he'd try and do something nice for her…

A/N2 That right there is why I love this chapter! I know I said a lot up the top, but I would just like to say thanks to everyone who is reading and reviewing, it really means a lot – if you can, please leave a review of this chapter, I have a really bad week coming up (injection, German oral exam, German written exams) and they would make me very happy! Plus, this story caused me to have a melt-down last night. You see those dates up there? Yeah, not just an added facet to the story. They keep me in check so I know how far along everything is. Turns out, as I was writing chapter 9 last night, I realised I had missed her due-date entirely. So I had to go back and tweak time pretty much on every page. So I know where I am now (thanks to a nifty little online due-date calculator that gives you a week by week run down as well. I am so cool).


	7. The Consequences

A/N Thank you SO much to everyone who reviewed the last chapter, I swear all of those positive thoughts got me through those exams. I totally OWNED the German language, haha! Does anyone else hate Cam? I really don't like her at all, she annoys the bejeezus out of me. And I think she's a kind of pointless character as well. Bring back Dr Goodman! Anyway, another BB moment in this one, hopefully there is one line that will make you go 'awww!', seriously they need to have more fluff in the show. I'm not all for them getting together, because that would ruin the show IMO, but I'm all for fluff and sexual tension. So yeah, read and enjoy yadda-yadda…

**November 20****th**** 2008**

"I'm heading out for coffee, did you want anything?" Cam asked, poking her head round the door of Temperance's office. She looked up from the box she was digging around in, looking for a file she had put somewhere and then forgotten about, thinking it was out of character that she would ask.

"No thank you. But as you're going that way, can you please tell Hodgins not cook burritos in the communal microwave again. They make me want to throw up."

"Really? Do you get that a lot?"

"Only when he cooks processed faux-Mexican food," she replied, trying to keep the irritation from making itself evident in her voice. She really was trying to find the file, but with this distraction it was becoming less likely that that would happen. If only she could just focus her mind to try and remember exactly where she had put it…

"Not in the mornings or anything?"

That was it – she sighed, slamming her hands down on the desk a little harder than she intended to, unable to take the distraction and instead choosing to let Cam say whatever it was she had been trying to. "What?"

"Morning sickness, Doctor Brennan. You know, that thing you get when you're _pregnant_." She took her time emphasising the last word, waiting for her to catch up to what she was implying.

"Pregnant?"

"Angela told me. Very altruistic of you."

"Oh... Thank you?"

"Come see me in my office later, we'll talk about maternity leave and other practical and very exciting stuff."

"Oh… Good." As quickly as she had arrived, she was gone again. Temperance sighed and sat down at her desk. Now Cam knew, she would undoubtedly play the boss role and limit her time in the field, which was not what she wanted. She would prefer more time in the field, not less, to keep her mind off how frightened she was now this was beginning to feel more real. So much for not wanting everyone to know yet.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

**November 22****nd** **2008**

Temperance looked up from her desk as she saw Booth bounding into her office, looking very animated. "Hey, Bones, I got you something – consider it an early Christmas present!"

"For me?" She took the gift bag from him and sat it on the desk in front of her.

"Yes, for you. How many other people do you think I call 'Bones'?"

"I really wouldn't know. But I presume it's not that many."

"Just you," he said, smiling down at her. Something about that statement made her feel a little funny, but she put it down to that nauseous feeling that seemed to be constantly plaguing her. Or maybe it was hormones? Pregnant women were always blaming things on hormones.

"You didn't have to get me a gift. Although it does look very nice. But I must say, I wouldn't have you pegged as someone who appreciates the aesthetic appeal of gifts."

"The salesgirl offered to gift-wrap it, I obliged. I'm glad you like it."

"What is it?"

"I don't know, why don't you open it and see." He was always amused at how someone as intelligent as her could be so slow sometimes.

She couldn't help but be amused at how excited he was as he watched her open his gift like a child at Christmas, but she obliged anyway, curiosity getting the better of her. She opened the gift bag, taking out one of the two parcels inside. She undid the paper it was wrapped in and dropped it to her desk, on top of the notes she had been going over that had been abandoned for the time being. "A t-shirt…?" An unusual choice of gift, given that she guessed their tastes in fashion were complete polar opposites.

"Read what it says."

"'_Does my bump look big in this?' _Well, not currently, but I think it's fairly obvious that it will. Or is this just a 'clever' use of rhetoric?"

"It's supposed to be funny, but I didn't think you'd get it."

"I don't. But I appreciate the sentiment, Booth, thank you."

"Well, don't thank me too much. I've got something to tell you that I don't think you're going to like."

"Oh?"

"It's about you coming out in the field with me. Well, basically, you can't anymore. The FBI has a strict policy about stuff like this."

"What? As in, I have to stop _now_? We're in the middle of a case!"

"I might be able to get you until the end of the week, but I can't promise anything."

"But Cam said she would only _limit_ my field work, not take it away all together!"

"She probably meant that you'll still be going out to examine remains, but not having any contact with suspects. We'll still be working together, but just not as often."

She looked at him suspiciously, eyes narrowed. "You don't sound as unhappy about this as I am."

"To tell you the truth, I'd rather you weren't chasing suspects with me. I don't want you to get hurt."

"But you didn't mind the prospect of me getting hurt before?"

"That's not what I meant." He moved to stand on her side of the desk and put his arm round her shoulder. "I'm really sorry, Bones."

"I suppose it's a good idea that I stay in the lab. I'm not happy about it, but it's for the best."

"Exactly. You know, Angela worries that you're working too hard. I tried to tell her she had nothing to worry about, but sometimes…" He mentally prepared himself for the argument that was sure to follow; here he was, raising her blood pressure when he was meant to be trying to get her to relax. Idiot. "Sometimes I'm inclined to agree with her."

She pulled away from his embrace – how could he think that? "What are you talking about? I can't sit in one place all day with my feet up; I have a job to do! I could understand her being concerned if I was doing anything to harm the baby, but I'm not!"

"I bet you're still going to the gym twice a week."

The scowl that she had held momentarily faltered, and her dropped jaw betrayed what she was thinking. "How did you know that? Have you been checking up on me?"

"I'm a Special Agent, it's my job to know. Not to mention the fact that you are incredibly stubborn. I'm right, aren't I?"

"Yes," she said, sighing. "But I'm taking it easy. Nothing too strenuous."

"Alright, I trust you. Just promise me you will slow down, please?"

"I promise."

He squeezed her arm, showing her that he was on her side, even if it didn't really seem like it at that moment. She had a way of always making him feel like the bad guy, even if he was right. "Good."


	8. The Confession

A/N Ooooh, I hope you've all got your angst glasses on! And, if I'm honest, I think it is long overdue. It wouldn't be me writing if no one had a meltdown by now. And wow, chapter eight already! Holy sweaters we're getting through this fast - I'm running out of finished chapters so I guess that means I have to get off my butt and write more!

**December 2****nd**** 2008**

Temperance sat down heavily at one of the tables at the diner, glad to be off her feet and able to relax for an hour or so. Working solely in the lab had grown tedious after about a week, and now after two months she was going stir crazy. She was getting tired of seeing the same faces every day with little variation, and she hadn't seen much of Booth at all – as much as she hated to admit it, she actually missed him. So she was glad that he had picked her up from the lab and announced that they were going out for lunch. "I'm starving. An early lunch was a brilliant idea."

"That may be the first time you've ever said that about one of my ideas. I'll put it down to the hormones."

"And I shan't argue with that." She smiled at him, and then went back to perusing the menu. Everything sounded good, and she knew she had a tough decision ahead of her. She could see the waitress hovering out of the corner of her eye, waiting to take their order, and she hurried to pick between the chicken or the fish. Eventually she chose the chicken and the waitress hurried off to put their orders through. They sat together in comfortable silence for a few moments, before Booth cleared his throat to say something.

"You know, Bones, I'm impressed with the way you're dealing with all this. I mean, you are the most independent person I know. That's great, but being pregnant has made you almost normal."

"Normal?"

"You know, that state of being where you are like everyone else?"

"Oh, thanks."

"No, seriously, you eat and sleep at regular times. You're not running around all over the place. You haven't talked about bones outside of the lab in weeks. That's not like you at all."

"That's not by choice, Booth, it's because all anyone ever talks about is the baby! See, once again, conversation goes back to something that is the size of a grapefruit and that is, as you so rightly said, turning me into a giant, lazy slob who sits around all day eating and sleeps all night!

"That's not what I meant."

"Don't get me wrong, I'm happy to do this for Angela and Hodgins, but I just feel so… I don't even know." She sighed and rubbed her forehead. She knew how she felt – tired, emotional, apprehensive – she just couldn't think of the right words to say. "The baby is rerouting energy from my brain for mitosis."

"I don't know what that means, but I'm sure it's not happening. I'm sorry, I didn't realise how neglected you were feeling. It must be hard when everyone is focused on the baby."

"No, I'm just being silly. It's just that everyone is so interested in my being pregnant. Like I'm some kind of sideshow attraction. 'Look, its Temperance Brennan, the woman who swore she would never have children, and, oh look, she's pregnant!' Angela is always asking me how I feel, Cam is always trying to rub my stomach, and you are always making me sit down. And it's only going to get worse when I start to actually look pregnant! At the bank, the supermarket, crime scenes – I am becoming defined by the contents of my uterus!"

He looked pensive for a moment, and she worried that he had found her outburst to be completely inappropriate. She breathed a sigh of relief when he finally spoke again, in the voice she had seen him use when he was trying to comfort somebody. "I don't know what to do to make you feel better, Temperance. You are pregnant and for as long as you are, people are going to be a little bit interested in that. That's the miracle of life, I guess."

"It's not a miracle if it happens every single day over millions of years, Booth."

"But don't you think it's a miracle that Angela and Jack are finally getting a baby? And that you're making that possible for them?" When she didn't reply, he reached out and squeezed her hand, in an attempt to let her know that he understood how she felt. "We're partners, right? So I'm going to be your pregnancy partner for the next six months, too. It'll be fun – I'll take you out to do fun stuff, and we won't talk about anything baby-related."

She thought about his proposition for a moment. She didn't like people taking pity on her for one moment, but the prospect of having fun for the first time in months was more than a little appealing to her. "What kind of fun stuff?"

"We could go to the movies, or restaurants, or miniature golf? Whatever you want. For the next six months, whenever you need someone to talk to or something to take your mind off things, just call me, OK? How does that sound?"

"Really?"

"Of course." He squeezed her hand again, giving her that mega-watt smile that he was known for.

"Thanks, Booth. Sorry I was so bitchy."

"Don't be silly. And you don't have to apologise, I get it."

"I don't hate the baby. And it's only natural that Angela is going to take an interest in everything I do – she wants to make sure I'm looking after myself and the baby. I actually think being pregnant is kind of fascinating – it's amazing what our bodies can do, and for the time being I'm relishing the changes. I anticipate that will soon change, though."

"Oh yeah, if you're anything like Rebecca, that feeling of fascination will get old pretty darn quickly."

**December 15****th**** 2009**

Temperance and Booth were in his car, driving to their appointment with Sweets, and both were more than a little distracted. Booth was annoyed that they were stuck in traffic. They wouldn't have been if they had left a little earlier, before all of the schools in the city finished for the day, but _someone _had to use the bathroom. As the car crept forward a few feet, then came to a stop once again, he couldn't help but look over at her in the seat beside him. She was fidgeting, and he presumed that she probably needed to go again. If he had asked her what she was thinking about, however, he would have known that there was a very prominent worry niggling at the back of her mind that she had all but forgotten about until earlier that morning, when Angela had cheerfully reminded her of what would be going on later that evening. Unable to keep it to herself any more, she had to ask him if he would be there with her, as he had promised he would be, so she would keep at least some of her sanity.

"Booth, will you be coming to the baby shower? I really don't want to be stuck talking about babies all night long."

"It's no men allowed, and Angela made that _very_ clear." He knew she had been planning this event for a long time, so he really didn't want to gatecrash (well, he didn't want to get caught gatecrashing, because he knew what Angela was like when she was angry). Plus, he couldn't think of anything more boring than a baby shower. "So me and Hodgins are going to have our own celebration. Did you know they have a TV room in their house? With a huge plasma screen and a popcorn machine like the ones they have in theatres?"

"I was aware."

"We're going to kick back with some beers and watch the game."

"Oh."

"I can't wait!" Looking over and seeing her crestfallen look, he was prompted to add, "But, I'm sure you'll have fun. And you and me can have our own little baby shower. But without the baby stuff. I'll even bring you a gift. Tequila?"

"I'll have to wait until I can drink it."

"Well I'll think of something." He smiled, and squeezed her hand gently. "Leave it with me."

A/N Do you want to see the baby shower? Let me know, and I'll write it. If you're not bothered that's cool, because I hadn't actually planned to write it, but if you want it then your wish is my command!


	9. The Shock

A/N You said you wanted a baby shower, people, and you got not only one, but TWO baby showers. You're very welcome. Shout out to annekebb4ever for the amazing ideas that turned this chapter into what it is – probably the longest chapter of this story so far. It was not, however, her idea to make Booth into a total letch (if you're picking up what I'm putting down… Wink, wink) while drunk, that was all my own doing. He _totally_ wants her, so who can blame him. By the way – I am ridiculously excited about act two here people, that was practically written in my head before this story was even a seed in my mind. I obviously have waaaaaay too much time on my hands. Anyway, read, enjoy, review.

**December 15****th**** 2008**

Sitting on the edge of the large group of women gathered in Hodgins and Angela's living room, Temperance attempted to stifle a yawn. As she thought about how she desperately hoped she would never have to attend another baby shower for as long as she lived, she felt her cell phone vibrating in her pocket and fished it out to see who would be calling her – pretty much everyone that she knew was here. Checking the screen for the caller ID, she realized that she had just received a text message, not a call, from Booth. She flicked her phone open and read the message that popped up:

"_Bored yet?"_

She smirked and looked around to make sure no one was watching her as she composed a quick reply, as if they would be able to see in her eyes what she was writing.

"_Of course. Your team winning?"_

"_No, and I can't take much more of Hodgins gloating. Want some pizza?"_

He knew she couldn't resist pizza, especially as all that was on offer for the ladies was Caesar salad and finger food. If she was going to sneak away, now would be the time to do so – the gifts had been opened and everyone was just casually chatting to each other. Temperance didn't know these women, and they weren't there for her, so what would be the harm in stepping out of the room for a little while?

"_I'll be there in 5 minutes."_

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

After making her stealth getaway from the party and dashing up the stairs as quickly as she could before someone spotted her, Temperance crept into the TV room and softly pulled the door closed behind her. Booth noticed her out of the corner of his eye and turned to face her, looking pointedly at his watch before speaking.

"3 minutes, 40 seconds. That must be a new record, Bones."

"Yes, well there was pizza involved," she said absently, looking around. "Where's Hodgins?"

"He went to the liquor store for more… liquor." He gestured to the empty bottles lined up on the coffee table, taking up most of the surface. There was something odd about his voice, and when Temperance added that to the image in front of her she came to one conclusion – he was drunk.

"How much have you had to drink?"

"Not enough to make watching my team lose enjoyable. Take a seat." He patted the black leather recliner next to him, and she crossed the room to sit down. She should definitely consider investing in one of these… "Comfortable, huh?"

The sigh she let escape from her lips was enough of an answer for him, and he smirked as she leaned back and shut her eyes tightly. "I _need_ one of these. Think you could fit it in the back of your SUV?"

"Well, Hodgins won't be back for a while…" She didn't respond, so he took a sip of his remaining beer and changed the subject. "Is it really that bad downstairs that you had to hide up here with me?"

"It's not healthy to have too much oestrogen _[A/N or estrogen… shout out to my pals across the pond!]_ in one room. Although I do appreciate the anthropological significance of a group of women gathering together during a pregnancy, the whole premise is comparable to that of African tribes."

He looked over at her blankly, the light from the TV eerily illuminating his features. "I don't know what that means."

"Never mind," she replied, reaching for the pizza box on the floor in front of him and grabbing a slice with glee.

"So do you know what you want to do for our own baby shower?"

"Shouldn't it be up to you to figure that out?"

"Fair point. I guess I haven't thought that far ahead yet. But I _do_ know what I'm getting you as a gift."

"You don't have to get me anything, Booth."

"I know. But I'd_ like_ to. Just let me, OK?"

She mumbled something through a mouthful of pizza that he accepted as an 'OK', and they went back to watching his team take a beating. "I should probably go back in case anyone is wondering where I went." She popped the final bite of the crust into her mouth and licked her fingers. He watched her do so, and handed her another piece.

"Stay for a little longer." She decided that it would be futile to argue with him, and gladly took the slice of pizza from him.

**December 22****nd**** 2008**

As part of his 'Master Plan of Distraction' that he had promised, and instead of a more conventional baby shower, Booth had showed up at Temperance's apartment, armed with Chinese food and a DVD. They always disagreed about what movie to watch, so he had attempted to avert an argument this time and bought the box set of the Big Bang Theory – he usually only caught the tail-end of the show when he was waiting for something else to come on, but what he had seen was quintessentially Bones – socially inept and scarily smart. For that reason alone, he thought she might enjoy it. And he didn't mind shelling out for an evening without a heated discussion about things he couldn't care less about.

"I think you're going to enjoy this. These kids remind me of you, Zack and Hodgins. Squint-tastic."

"I don't know what that means."

"They're a bunch of egg-head geniuses."

"Oh, you mean they're of above-average intelligence. That's an odd premise for a TV show, but if you think I'll find it amusing then I'll trust your judgement." She took the box from him to read the description on the back, and decided that he's probably made a good choice. "Is this the gift you_ insisted_ on getting me?"

"No, actually. I'm saving that for later. You have to spread out the fun, Bones!"

He knelt down on the floor to set up the DVD player, and then sat back down next to her on the sofa. They had almost finished all of the food by the end of the second episode (which she had actually found funny, which was slightly surprising to him), but there were still a few remnants of their meal in the dishes on the coffee table in front of them. Unable to resist the last egg roll, she leant forward to grab it and took a bite before sitting back. "These are _so_ good. You know, I think I could survive on just Chinese food – I'd probably be very fat, but I would also be very ha- Woah!"

"What, what's wrong?" She had suddenly sat bolt upright and grasped her five-months-pregnant stomach.

"I don't know – either that egg roll was bad or the baby just did something." Even though she had read the books and knew this was probably normal, she couldn't help but feel the panic rise within her. What if something was wrong?

"Good something or bad something?"

"Weren't you listening? I don't know!" She could feel herself panicking, but she wasn't entirely sure why – if it was the baby kicking, that was a natural part of pregnancy and a sign that things were progressing normally. But if it wasn't… "How do I know which one it is?"

"OK, calm down! If it does it again, it was probably a kick. Just relax. Where did you feel it?"

"Here." She took his hand and placed it on her stomach where she felt the jab. They waited for a few seconds, her hand still resting lightly on top of his, until they felt another movement. She laughed at the strange sensation it was creating. "Wow. There's a little person in there!" Of course, she had known that all along, but it had seemed like such an intangible idea that she hadn't really been able to put into perspective until now.

"Yeah. One that likes Chinese food."

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

**December 23****rd**** 2008**

The next morning at the Jeffersonian, Temperance bounded out of her office when she saw Angela walk past in the direction of the ladies' room, remembering to slow down when she got within earshot of her. She was finding bounding anywhere a lot easier since she had unwrapped Booth's gift – a home foot spa. He had protested that it wasn't exactly the most thoughtful gift, while she argued that it was both thoughtful _and_ incredibly practical, especially since she was certain that her feet were beginning to swell. As she caught up to her friend, she couldn't wait to tell her about the previous evening. "Angela, you'll never guess what happened when Booth came over last night!"

"You two finally gave in to your feelings and made out?"

"What? No."

"You did _more_ than make out?!" Temperance thought her friend's eyes were about to burst out of her head at that thought.

"No, Ange. The baby kicked! We both felt it, and it was really strange."

"Really? Oh my gosh, my baby's growing!"

"It makes this all seem so real, doesn't it?"

"Yeah – wow. Did it happen just once, or does he or she keep kicking?"

"Three times last night, twice this morning. Usually just after I've eaten."

"Well when it happens again, yell or whistle or something, I really want to feel it! Call me when you're going out to get lunch, OK?" Angela felt that she was already missing so much with Temperance as her surrogate, like all of the regular pregnancy things that normal mothers got to experience, and she couldn't bear to miss anything else. But she had been cooking up an idea that would hopefully stop her feeling so detached from everything. She just had to run it past her husband first…

**January 5****th**** 2009**

When she came into her office after a faculty meeting earlier in the morning, Temperance was surprised to find Jack and Angela waiting for her on her sofa. Seeing Angela waiting for her was something that occurred on a near-daily basis, but it was rare for Jack to ever need to talk to her that urgently.

"Sweetie, Jack and I have been thinking, and we want to talk to you about something. Sit down."

"OK."

"Well, when you told me that the baby kicked, I was thrilled, but I was also sad that I'd missed it. And Jack and I don't want to miss anything else, so we've thought up a way to prevent that from happening."

"Which is?"

The couple exchanged a brief look, then Angela turned back to face Temperance. "We want you to move in with us."

"Is that really necessary? My apartment is fine."

"The apartment over the garage is empty now, so we want you to take it," Jack said. "We'll take care of the rent on your old place; all you need to do is pack some boxes and bring them over."

"You really think this is a good idea?"

"Of course. Look, Brennan, this is for us more than anything; just add it to the pile of favours you're already doing and that we will be repaying, OK? And we _will_ be repaying them."

"Well, if it means that much to you, I guess I should start packing."

A/N2 Did you see that coming?! That right there is the premise for some exciting (but that's a subjective term) stuff next chapter. And in the penultimate chapter (why yes, I _have_ written it already!). You have been warned. Oh, and I have an exam at the end of this week and another at the beginning of next week, so the update may be late on Monday. It's out of my hands.


	10. The Diner

A/N OK, first before I forget – you were meant to feel sorry for Angela at the end of the last chapter, did I make that a bit too obscure? Did you just hate her? If so, that wasn't meant to happen! Don't hate her! Anyway, what was I saying… Holy sweaters, chapter ten already?! Doesn't time just whizz by when you're having fun? This chapter is dedicated to Alex for no reason other than Christmas was almost six months ago (I know what I'm talking about). So enjoy! You know the drill…

**January 21****st**** 2009**

Temperance stared absently out of the large plate glass window of the diner. She wasn't looking at anything in particular, she was just watching what was going on outside. And thinking about all that packing that she still had to do before she moved in over her best friend's garage. Booth's scrambled eggs and toast were getting cold, and she thought about what he might do if she just reached across to his plate and ate them – he may not even notice. He seemed to be wrapped up in the phone call that he was taking, and not really paying much attention to anything else. As she was about to dart her hand out, he snapped his cell phone shut and tossed it down onto the table.

"Sorry, Bones, I gotta go, we've got a suspect. Shall I drop you back at the Jeffersonian on the way?"

She shook her head and watched him take a long gulp of his coffee. She knew how it annoyed him when he had paid for it but couldn't finish it. "Can I come?"

"No. No way. We talked about this already, remember?"

"Oh, please? I miss actually being out in the real world, not stuck in a lab or my office all day."

"So instead you want to sit in the interrogation room?"

"Yes."

"No."

"Come on! It's not like we have to chase him around, and I'll be sitting down!"

"You can watch through the glass, but there is no way you're going to be in the same room as him. No way."

"I don't see what the problem is here, Booth. He gets checked for weapons before he sets foot into the building, let alone the interrogation room. And you know from first hand experience that I am more than capable of protecting myself."

"You don't see what the problem is? Well maybe we should ask Hodgins and Angela if they think this is a good idea…"

"You know they won't understand. They spend their whole lives in a lab; they don't appreciate the rush of endorphins and adrenaline that I get from talking to suspects."

"That makes no difference to me, I'm not letting you do this. And it's not like it's forever, either, you just have to wait until after the baby is born. Then you can chase whoever you want."

"I know you're always saying that I'll thank you in the end, but I honestly don't see that happening in the foreseeable future." She scowled at him over the rim of her glass as she took another sip.

"That's what I thought you'd say. I'll see you later, OK?"

"Have fun," she replied bitterly, watching him with envy as he threw some money down on the table and walked out. She would give her right arm to be going with him right now.

She was still contemplating this when a short plump waitress came into her peripheral vision. The waitress beamed broadly at Temperance, and when she returned a weak smile herself, she took that as her cue to strike up a conversation.

"You know, darl', when me and _my_ hubby were expecting I was pretty bitchy towards him, too. Your hormones are all over the place right now, but I'm sure he gets that. But it's not like he's going anywhere, you're stuck with him for better or worse, right?" She snapped her gum and beamed down at Temperance, not realising that she had both insulted and confused her at the same time.

"We're not married, so-"

"Ah, say no more!" she interrupted, picking up the remnants of Booth's sugar packet that he had left. "Don't you worry your pretty little head, he'll pop the question sooner or later – I could see it in the way that he looked at you." With that she shot her a gap filled smile and flounced back to her post behind the counter, leaving Temperance unsure whether to follow her and correct everything she had just said. And maybe her grammar while she was up there. But she stayed where she was – she was so sick of people mistaking them for a couple all the time, but she just didn't have the energy to say anything to her. Normally, she would relish the opportunity to make someone who was annoying her feel foolish, but today she just simply couldn't be bothered. Instead she was going to conserve her energy for hailing a cab as she went back to work alone.

A/N2 It's short. It originally was a completely different chapter, because I got the sudden realisation while I was in the shower yesterday (where all the best ideas occur) that I didn't want the story to go that way just yet. It will, but later. And after realising that, I didn't have enough time between then and now to write a new chapter, so this one goes in its place. And because I'm running out of finished chapters, I will see you on the 22nd. I gotta do what I gotta do. Thank you for taking the time to read, I appreciate it more than you know.


	11. The Move

A/N Whoever reviewed on the 8th telling me that it was unthinkable for me to not update until the 22nd because it was a month away… well, I hope you read this and feel immense joy that I'm back early :D So, this is the equivalent of the 'Bones-and-Booth-decorating-the-nursery' type scene that you would find in (ahem) normal Bones fics. Not mine, because I like to do things differently. If any of you dear sweet readers are particularly opposed to me talking religion for a moment, I suggest you turn back around (well, I don't because I want you to read this, but you know what I mean. I'm not burning crucifixes or anything like that, I just don't want to offend anyone, right?). But, hey, what's a BB story without a fight about religion? And more angst! Oh boy, there's angst. I have a weird feeling about this chapter – maybe it's too angsty? Judge for yourselves. [A/N This chapter was reuploaded on May 23rd 2010 due to page break errors]

**January 22****nd**** 2009**

As Booth helped Temperance load her boxes into his car, conversation took an interesting turn. Well, interesting for her…

"You know, Booth, I have to admit that I was quite surprised about the way you reacted when I told you I was being a surrogate."

"What, you mean supportive?"

"Well, yes. As a Catholic, I thought you might find it… unholy."

"What?"

"Well, I did some research prior to telling you, just in case you reacted unfavourably. It turns out, Catholics are opposed to this sort of thing because they advocate that infertility is a sign from 'God'," she said, doing air quotes with her fingers, "to adopt a child. Plus there's that whole argument about when an embryo becomes a living person, so at what time is it OK to dispose of embryos that don't mature, because all life is God-given and therefore sacred, et cetera. So I could understand why you wouldn't be supportive."

He just looked at her with a strange look on his face that she couldn't quite interpret, which she assumed meant he had no idea what she was talking about, but after a moment he finally spoke. "Research, huh? Why do you assume that, just because I'm Catholic, I think the same way?"

"You seem to share the majority opinion on most religious matters. I assumed you'd feel the same in this instance."

"Well this is one time when me and the Church have different outlooks. I'm a father, right, so my only view on the subject is that fatherhood is great. If I couldn't have another child, I'd do anything I could to try, because that's how much being a dad means to me. So I don't necessarily agree about that whole 'sign from God' thing, OK?"

"Alright. Because the Bible completely contradicts that, anyway. Abraham gets his wife's servant pregnant because he and his wife can't have their own child. I suppose that's a form of surrogacy."

"I guess so… Is this everything?"

"You can tell your back we're done," she said, closing the car door and smoothing her shirt down over her expanding stomach. "I'm going to miss my apartment, you know."

"You'll be coming back."

"I know. I'll still miss it though." As she climbed into the front seat beside him, she pondered that statement – she and this place had gone through a lot together. People always said to her that if they had experienced the kind of far-out situations that she had in this apartment, then they would have moved out a long time ago. It was for that same reason that she couldn't quite bring herself to leave – this was the place she had come to after every tough case, after every relationship that had gone wrong. This was the quintessential anthropological idea of a sanctuary, and she felt a little uneasy at leaving it behind her at the point in her life when she needed it more than anything else.

* * *

"Put the box down, Bones," Booth said in his sternest voice. He couldn't turn his back for a second when physical work was involved.

"No, I asked you to help, not do everything for me. I'm not going to let _you_ carry all of _my_ things up the stairs."

"You're five and a half months pregnant, in case you needed a reminder."

"Yes, _pregnant_, not disabled."

"Well you take the light boxes and let me do the heavy ones." She did as she was told, and handed him the box that she was carrying. As he took it, he winced at how heavy it was – she seemed to be carting it along effortlessly. "Jeez, what's in here, rocks?"

"Bones. Why do you look surprised?"

"It's kind of creepy that you keep these in your house. Did you steal them from the lab?"

"Of course not! I have them purely for research," she replied defensively.

"Of course you do. How foolish of me to think otherwise…"

They worked in comfortable silence for a while, speaking only to confer about where certain boxes should be placed in the surprisingly large apartment. Temperance had been told that if she couldn't find room for anything she could leave it in the garage, but she had only brought the things she was sure she would need – the boxes contained mostly clothes, CDs and books, plus a few things that she needed for work. By her reasoning, she could always go back to her own home if she forgot anything. This arrangement was by no means permanent. As Booth came through the door with one of the last boxes, she handed him a cold beer from the fridge.

"I hope you don't plan on having one of these yourself?"

"Of course not, I just anticipated that you would need to take a break at some point, and I know how much you like beer. You can take the rest of the six-pack home with you, if you really don't trust me that much."

"I trust you. I just don't want you to harm the baby, that's all."

"Your confidence in me is inspiring," she said sarcastically.

"You forget that I know how much _you _like beer as well, Bones."

"I'm a scientist, and I've read enough of those stupid 'how to be pregnant and not mess it up' books to know what I should and shouldn't be doing."

"But you do have a tendency of being stubborn and getting carried away sometimes. Put those two things together and you have a disaster waiting to happen."

"Not all of those books are entirely factual, you know. Anybody with half a brain could write them."

"Did they happen to mention that you shouldn't be having heated arguments?"

"I need to start putting some of this stuff away." She turned to go in the direction of the bedroom, but he caught her arm before she could get too far away.

"You know I'm right," he said with a smirk. "You know that you should be taking things easy. So why don't you just do it?"

"We should get back to work…"

"Talk to me, Temperance. Why are you being so… difficult?"

"Because I'm trying to pretend that this," she gestured to her growing stomach looming in the space between them, "isn't changing my whole life. Maybe I feel like if I keep doing everything the same, I don't have to admit that I have totally lost control of the situation."

"What makes you think you've lost control?" He pulled her down onto the sofa with him, and put an arm around her shoulder. He could feel that she was tense, but there was something else that he couldn't quite describe. Like she was trying to escape from him.

"I thought I could handle this, Booth. I thought that being pregnant would be something that I should experience before I decided that it definitely wasn't what I wanted out of my life for myself. I thought this would be the easy part, and that I wouldn't have to do anything except carry a baby around for nine months. But it's so much more than that. Right now, I'm responsible for someone other than myself, and that terrifies me. There is still so much that could go wrong, and I know that if something bad _did _happen, it would be my fault."

"That's why everyone keeps telling you to relax and take things slow. We all know that's not what you're used to, but it's what you have to do."

"But it's more than that. I never thought I'd say this, but I'm scared. Of giving birth. At the beginning, I was fine with it, because that's what women have done since life began. But now I'm actually pregnant and… Well I guess I never really entertained the thought that the baby would have to come out at some point." She heard him laugh from beside her, and she wiped a tear away from her face. "I know I'm being silly."

"Well, what did you think would happen, Bones? That the baby would be born through the power of osmosis?" He laughed again as she raised an eyebrow at his use of a scientific term. "Yeah, I know about osmosis. So what scares you specifically."

"You're starting to sound like Sweets."

"Come on. Tell me what's going on up there," he said, sweeping a strand of hair from her forehead.

"I don't know! Despite knowing scientifically what happens, this is all a grey area for me. But I don't think it's the pain that I'm afraid of."

"OK. I hear they have some pretty awesome drugs to take care of that anyway. And I bet once it actually comes down to it, your instincts will take over and you'll know just what to do."

"You think so?"

"Of course. So if it's not the pain that you're afraid of, what else can there be?"

She squirmed out of his grasp and stood up, unsure of how to proceed. Exhaling deeply, she looked down at him and for a moment, and he didn't think he had ever seen anyone look so afraid before. "What if… What if I can't give the baby up?"

"Well, you kind of don't have a choice here, Temperance. Keeping the baby isn't an option."

"I know. Rationally, I know that. This isn't my baby, so rationally I should feel no bond towards it whatsoever. I've tried my hardest to distance myself, but that is really not as easy as it seems. I have to be there for all of the milestones that Angela obsesses over; scans, the first kick, all of it. I can't escape and pretend that it's not happening, because I can never get away from it!" She pointed down to her stomach, feeling horrible for what she had just practically screamed at him – wasn't letting it all out supposed to make it better?

He was quiet again, his gaze settled on something ambiguous over in the corner of the room. "So, are you saying that you _want_ the baby, or you can't give it up? Because I think there's a difference."

She shook her head. "I don't want the baby. It's not _my_ baby."

"So what's the problem? Surely once you've given birth you'll be glad to be free, right? Why would you want a baby messing that up?"

"I don't know. Am I being stupid?"

"No. But I've spent enough time with that kid Sweets to wonder if, maybe, this is your subconscious telling you that you're afraid of something else. So what else could it be?"

"Oh, please…"

"Maybe you're afraid that you're getting used to all the attention and you don't want it to go away."

"No, that I'm looking forward to," she scoffed.

"Maybe… Maybe you're afraid that, after this is over, you won't be able to call your best friend 24/7 to help you out or give you advice. Because she's going to be busy for all the responsibility that she'll have. Maybe you're worried that she won't have time for you anymore."

She hated to admit it, but what he was saying made sense. Even though she complained about it nonstop, she secretly liked having Angela making extra time for her, and always making sure that she was alright. She wasn't going to tell Booth that he was right, but she guessed by the smug look on his face that he already knew that he had hit the nail on the head. "Damn you, Seeley Booth."

A/N2 I told all of you doubters that this was never going to be easy for Temperance! Didn't I say that, but before you could see the fruits of my labours y'all jumped down my throat? Now I feel like I've kind of written myself into a corner – things are not magically going to get better, but all-angst-all-the-time is just not fun. And my plan has kind of gone out the window as well, so I'm stuck. I'll try and figure something out. Oh wait, I just totally got an awesome idea. Nevermind! So, as well as being obsessed with doctors' clothing, it appears I am obsessed with osmosis. I barely have a grasp of what it is, but I just know that it is awesome. I like my updates to be educational too. Anyway, you know the drill…


	12. The Conversation

A/N OK, gang, call y'all say 'soliloquy'? Because that's pretty much what this chapter is. And it's short, too. Short, but I like to think it is sweet, too. Well, the end is. Hopefully. As you can probably tell, my confidence in this story is waning slightly. That may be something to do with the fact that I only have ONE completed chapter left! Oh no, I'm going to get stuck this time in two weeks! But if it's any consolation, I have a good basis for the last three chapters. Go me…

**February 6****th**** 2009**

Temperance sat down heavily on the couch in her new living room. She had made sure to bring a snack with her, even though the kitchenette was only a few feet away – she wasn't sure how long this whole farce would take, or how long it would take her to get up again once she was sitting. As she settled herself, she mused about just how stupid she felt already, and she hadn't even started the conversation yet. If it could be called a conversation at all, which, by definition, she was pretty certain that it couldn't. After clearing her throat and gingerly patting her stomach, she began with a hefty dose of hesitation.

"Hello in there. I'm not entirely certain that you can hear me – well, it's scientifically proven that you can _hear_, but that doesn't mean that you can hear each word perfectly. I image being in a uterus doesn't give optimal acoustics. And just because you can hear doesn't mean you understand. I think it's safe to assume that you don't. But Sweets and Angela…" she shook her head and corrected herself, "Sweets and _your mother_ say this is important. It will help me to deal with my feelings. You should take everything Sweets says with a pinch of salt, though."

"I'm not really sure what to say. What do you say to someone who can't understand you? I feel kind of silly…"

She sighed and shook her head. All of Sweets' little psychological pseudoscientific experiments were completely alien and, frankly, stupid to her, but this one really topped the list.

"You're probably confused. I'm not your mom. You won't understand now, but when you're older you will. Hopefully knowing that will be OK for you to handle – you should just remember that your parents wanted you badly enough to trust me with this. And once you get to know me a bit better, you'll understand. I'm not exactly the most maternal woman on the planet; it's kind of a running joke with the people your parents and I work with."

Temperance shifted on the sofa, trying to get comfortable. She felt the baby kick in response to her movement, and she tenderly placed her hand on the spot where its foot had made contact.

"I think I should tell you all about your parents now, before they're around to censor me. I'll probably tell you it again when you actually have comprehension. But anyway… Angela is your mother. She's my best friend, too. She's an artist, and I bet you'll inherit her talent. She's the kindest person I know, and she never has a bad thing to say about anybody.

Your dad's name is Jack. Everyone calls him Hodgins, though. He's one of my friends too. We weren't always particularly close, but we became better friends when we shared a rather traumatic experience – he might tell you about that when you're older. He'll probably tell you about your uncle Zack, too. He's not a real uncle, but he was your dad's best friend for a long time. Well, Hodgins is already trying to get you obsessed with bugs, just like he is – you'll see the nursery once you're born, but I can tell you now that I hope you like ladybugs – although thankfully he doesn't seem to think you'll be interested in dirt. Oh, but once you're old enough to talk, don't ever let him hear you call it that, or you'll be in for a _very _long lecture. You can thank me for that later.

We don't know yet whether you're a boy or a girl. I'm quite looking forward to finding out. Booth is trying to get everyone in the lab to bet on what they think you are – I'll tell you more about him later. Anyway, I think you're going to have your mother's eyes and hair, and you'll probably be tall like her too. I bet that once you're a teenager, you'll be taller than your dad. He'll hate that, but don't listen to anything he says and wear high heels whenever you want to – if you're a girl, obviously, but if you're a boy that would be OK too. They just want you to be happy and healthy. You'll probably have Jack's – your dad's – nose and chin. I just hope you don't inherit his suspicious nature, or his fascination with conspiracies. Aestheticaly speaking, you will be quite attractive. Although that's not at all important, I feel you should be taught that from a young age."

"There's a lot that I want to teach you when I finally get to meet you; the things that your parent's can't really teach you. I probably can't give you much help with boys or clothes or make-up, but I guess you can always come to me if you need help with your homework and your parents are busy.

And I want you to be able to come to me for advice – I know I'm probably not the most knowledgeable about _everything_, but I'm pretty intelligent when it comes to most things."

"I never did get round to telling you about Booth. He's a friend of your parents and I – we all work together. He's the one who convinced me to help your parents out, although he didn't realize it for a while. He was there with me when we first felt you kick. And I know how much you enjoy kicking. I think he found that moment pretty amazing – I know I did. That's part of the reason I freaked out a little while ago. I'm choosing to put it down to the excess of hormones, but Sweets seems to think its something more than that. Hence this exercise he had me do.

**February 7****th**** 2009**

The next day, over lunch, Angela and Temperance discussed how Sweet's alternative therapy went. Temperance refused to divulge exactly what she had said, and would only tell her friend that she thought it had gone well. Slightly exasperated, Angela decided to tell her why she had really invited Temperance for lunch.

"I know it probably feels like I'm constantly reminding you that 'its uterus, Sweetie, not uter-you', but you get why I do that, right?"

Temperance nodded her head. "Of course. This is your baby, it's only natural for you to take an interest."

"Right. But you have to tell be if I'm being overly needy, OK? Deal?"

"Deal."

"Well, now that we've sorted that out… I got you a present."

"A present? Why?"

"Do I need a reason other than the fairly obvious one?" She handed Temperance a small pink envelope that didn't have any writing on it. Her friend took it and looked it over, turning it in her hands. "Open it, Sweetie."

Temperance did as she was told, and pulled out a silver embellished card. "A spa pass?"

"It's good for six months, so you can use it now and then when the baby is born. I think you deserve to treat yourself, don't you?"

"You didn't have to get me anything, Ange."

"I did. And this doesn't even begin to repay you for everything you've done for Jack and I – there's more to come, OK?" She put an arm around her shoulder and squeezed her tightly in an unspoken promise.

"Thank you. I don't suppose you'd like to come with me, would you?"

"I'd love to."

A/N2 Thank you to all who are still reading and reviewing/favouriting/not flaming.


	13. The Visit

A/N Thank you to my lovely reviewers, both first-time and regular, each one means so much to me! OK, gang, it's question time: do you want a hook up at the end of this story? I know it seems like it's not really going that way right now, but I have planned for any and all responses to this question – there is time to make it how you want. Also, if you've got any ideas of baby gender/names, feel free to toss them my way. I have an idea for gender, but I'm flexible. And I change my mind tres often. [A/N This chapter was reuploaded on May 23rd 2010 due to spelling errors]

**February 17****th**** 2009**

As they walked down the silent halls of the prison, the soft squeak of their shoes and the cacophony of the guard's keys as he walked two paces ahead the only sounds to be heard, Temperance was suddenly struck by the realization that she hadn't thought about what to say. She had bought Booth along for moral support mostly, but in his opinion he was there to protect her. If anyone in a jumpsuit got within 6 feet of her, he was pulling his gun out of its holster.

"I thought your dad was out of jail?"

"Yes, he is."

"So why are we here?"

"He's working in the rehabilitation program. 'Giving back to the community', as he calls it."

"So why are we here _now_?"

"Because I think a formal setting where there will be prison guards is a good idea…"

Every time she began to formulate the sentences in her head, she was distracted by the fact that she really didn't know how her father would react to the news that she was pregnant, but not with his grandchild. Would he be angry? Upset? Pleased? The truth was, as much as she tried to convince herself that they had a normal father-daughter relationship, she really didn't know enough about him to be able to predict his reaction. After all, they had spent a long time apart, and a much, much shorter time trying to close the void between them that had been amplified by all those years without each other.

She hoped her current appearance would tell him all that he needed to know, and spare her the torture of having to say, once again, out of courtesy more than anything else, that she was pregnant. She was obviously pregnant, and quite frankly getting sicker of the attention by the minute. She told herself that she would feel the same way if it were her own baby – the fact that she had to clarify that it in fact wasn't every time someone congratulated her had started to get frustrating after about the third time she had said it. Which happened a lot, much to her chagrin. She saw it as some kind of weird celebrity status, one that meant people she had never even met before at work would keep coming into her office for updates on how she was feeling, and that made complete strangers feel completely at ease with patting her stomach. She hated that more than the fact that she was expected to make polite conversation with such individuals whilst they touched her inappropriately.

As she watched the guard unlock the door, she saw her father sat at the little table, clad in jeans and a sweatshirt rather than the customary orange jumpsuit, his back to her. If she was going to back out, now would be the time to do so. But she felt Booth's hand on the small of her back, as he guided her through the now-open door, and realised that thought was completely ridiculous – not only did she not have anything to be afraid of, it wasn't like she could _not _tell him – this was definitely the kind of thing that you couldn't keep from someone, especially your own father.

"Dad, I have something I need to tell you. Although you can probably guess what it is…"

Max looked Booth square in the eyes, a look of pure hatred clouded them like Temperance had never seen before – and this was the man that had arrested him. The older man turned back to his daughter. "Did he do this to you?"

"What?" Whilst she had believed she had planned for every eventuality, this was not one that she had seen coming.

He stepped forward so his face was inches away from Booth's. "You! Where do you get off, knocking up my daughter? Don't answer that!"

"Dad, you have this all wrong. Booth, maybe you should wait outside."

He cleared his throat and shot Max a disapproving look. "That sounds like a good idea."

As the door clicked shut behind him, Max ushered Temperance to sit down at one of the desks that had been set up for the group he was speaking in front of. She eased herself down gently and looked expectantly at her father, waiting for him to speak first. He paced across the room once, then came to stand before her, a soft smile breaking on his face.

"You know, I bet Booth would actually make a pretty decent father to your child. I know he's a good guy, deep down, and we both know he can take care of you…"

"A minute ago you were saying you were going to kill him, and now you're disappointed that I'm _not_ carrying his child?"

"Well, that was when he was in the room. It's a father's job to put the fear of God into his daughter's boyfriend."

"I guess it's a good thing he's not my boyfriend, then."

"So talk to me, Tempe. Things have obviously changed since we spoke last…"

"It's not what you think."

"Oh, really? Honey, I know I was in jail for a long time, but you're pregnant, there's nothing ambiguous about the situation."

"It's not my baby. I know that probably sounds strange, but let me try and explain it to you…" She took a deep breath and decided to just come out with it. "I'm a surrogate."

"For who?"

"Angela and Jack."

"The artist and the bug guy?"

"Yes. Are you disappointed that I didn't tell you before?"

"No, sweetie. I shouldn't expect you to feel able to share things like this with me, not yet anyway. I'm… concerned. About you."

She felt herself bristle at his confession, and had a sudden urge to leave – it still felt strange to her to hear him say such things after being absent from her life for almost half of it. "I'm fine, dad, really. I can handle this."

**February 10****th**** 2009**

She was sitting behind her desk, working on her latest book. She found it much easier to work here than at home – well, at Angela and Hodgins' house. She had developed a plot point in the story, and so was typing quickly, the ideas forming in her mind as she did so. She didn't notice him enter her office until he was standing right in front of her, and she only become aware of him then because he was blocking the light. She assumed it to be Booth for a split second, but then she realised that this man was both familiar and unfamiliar to her. Looking up to meet his gaze, her breath caught in her throat, and what came out of her mouth was barely audible.

"Sully?"

"Hi. I hope you don't mind me just dropping by unannounced."

"I… Uh…" Her brain seemed to have stopped working entirely. Even though he was standing right in front of her, he seemed to be somewhere far away still – it was almost as though she was imagining it. But then the rational part of her brain kicked into gear once more and she was aware that he was standing there, in front of her, waiting for her to say something coherent. "What are you doing here?"

"I was wondering if you wanted to go for a drink later?"

"I meant what are you doing in Washington? In the country, for that matter? What happened to the Caribbean?"

He smiled and shook his head. "We can talk about that over a drink. You know, to catch up?"

"Well, I wish I could, but I can't."

"I know you're busy. And I know what you're thinking, too – I'm not asking for things to go back to the way they were, Temperance, I just want to know how you've been, that's all. I mean, if you're _really_ busy today, I guess we could take a rain check, I'm going to be here for a while…"

"I understand that, but I can't go for a drink with you. Well, I can't go for an _alcoholic_ drink…"

"What's going on, Tempe?"

She sighed – she really hadn't planned on him coming back, if truth be told. She didn't think that he had either – sailing off into the sunset was what he had always wanted, why would he give that up? Although she should have known he wouldn't stick to his plan, just as he had never stuck to anything before in his life. Instead, he had walked back into her life just as smoothly as he had left it. She had carefully prepared how she would tell everyone else, giving enough details but leaving out some parts of the story that not everyone needed to know about, and it frustrated her to no end that he had just showed up here without calling first – what was she supposed to tell him? Somehow, she didn't think that he would get what she was doing or why she was doing it. So, she did the only thing she could think of to tell him that she was pregnant – she stood up from behind her desk. If the situation was different, she would have found the look on his face most amusing.

"You're… um."

"Pregnant?" she offered, attempting to help him out when he obviously found speaking difficult at this moment in time. "Yeah."

"That's…" He stopped, letting out a deep breath, his eyes never leaving her abdomen. She was six months pregnant now, and she seriously hoped that she didn't look any bigger than that, because she felt as if she was the size of a cottage. Maybe he wasn't starting because he was amazed, but rather because he was _appalled_…

"What, Sully?"

"I don't know what to say."

"That's obvious. But there really isn't anything _to_ say. And this shouldn't have any affect on you wanting to catch up."

"I'm just shocked, that's all. Don't get worked up, OK?" She sighed in exasperation, realising in that moment just how much he reminded her of Booth, telling her to calm down all the time. If Sweets were here, she would bet his mouth would be desperately trying to catch up to all the psychological crap that his mind was coming up with, about wishful thinking and Freudian slips.

"I'm not the one who's getting worked up, Sully." She gestured to the sofa on the other side of the office, worried that he was about to pass out. "Do you want a glass of water?"

"I thought I was the one who would be buying the drinks," he replied with a wry smile.

"I'm not buying it, I'm getting it from the water cooler. Wait here." She left, suddenly cursing the fact that there was a cooler so close to her office. She could have done with the extra time it would have taken to go to the next closest one, near the restrooms, to think about what she was going to do. She didn't really want to talk to him about this, she felt strange about it, but she couldn't flatly refuse to do so. She could pretend that something had come up on the way to get water, but he was trained to know when people were lying and she wasn't all that good at it. As she filled the plastic cups, she wondered if he would even understand. Most people didn't. However, something told her not to underestimate him – he always did have an uncanny way of knowing why she acted the way she did.

When she came back in, she had expected to see him still sitting on her sofa. But he wasn't. Her eyes finally settled on him standing by her desk, as he had when he first came in, looking at a picture that she had always kept next to her computer. It was just one of her and Angela, taken at last year's holiday party, but she liked it because it made her laugh – she never had figured out how Angela has slipped a pair of novelty antlers on her head without her noticing.

"I thought it might be of you and your new boyfriend," he said when he saw her watching him. "Unless it's one of you and your new girlfriend?"

"Angela and Hodgins are married now. And they're going to have a baby."

"Oh, tell them I said congratulations. That must be neat, you and your best friend both being pregnant."

"Um…"

"It's not neat?" He looked at her for a moment, trying to work out what was going on with her. "Wanna talk about it?"

"I don't think you'll understand."

"Perhaps not. But I'm a good listener…" he smiled that smile that used to make her knees weak, and she was a little surprised when she felt a twinge somewhere deep within her. It wasn't as strong as it used to be, but it was present nonetheless. "Come on, try me."

"This," she began, resting a hand on her stomach, "is Angela and Hodgins' baby."

"You're a surrogate?"

"Yes."

"That's cool. I had a cousin who did that. She's done it a couple of times, actually. I think she's addicted."

"You always have 'I knew a guy' stories. Did your cousin really do it?"

"Yes. But she's not addicted, I embellished that part. She's just a good person who wants to help out a friend."

"Can I ask you something?"

"You can. But whether I have the answer or not is another matter."

"Did she find it hard… you know… giving the baby up?"

"Do you want the honest answer or the answer that you want to hear?"

"What do you think?"

He inhaled deeply, as if preparing himself, then let it out slowly. "She did. For the first month or so after she gave birth, she said she felt empty. She had been preparing for it, but I don't think she ever really anticipated just how difficult she would find it. I'm not going to lie to you, Tempe, she had it rough. But then again, you and she are very different. You're a lot more…"

"Rational? Emotionally detached? Distant? Cold?" She scowled at him, daring him to agree with her.

"I was gonna go with strong. Tenacious. Compassionate. If anyone can do this, it's you."

"That's what Booth always says."

"Well then Booth's a smart man. How is he, by the way?"

"He's fine. More than fine, actually – he's being very helpful. Although I think he worries too much."

"Good." He noticed her looking at her strangely, and he continued, "Well, I mean someone has to worry about you. It's good that he's taking care of you."

"He is. They all are."

"Excellent. So do you want to get a drink? Or something to eat maybe, aren't pregnant women meant to always be hungry?"

"That often depends on who's paying…" she replied, putting on her most innocent face.

"Smooth, Tempe, very smooth."

A/N2 …And now for the bad news. I'm going to have to put this story on hiatus for a little while. I'm not sure when I'll be back, but I WILL be back, I promise. So just sit tight and if you need something to read, feel free to check out my profile for other stuff I've written or things I've favourited. Hopefully you'll find something to your taste! So, with that I'll bid you farewell until I'm back. Which WILL happen! (No flaming bags of dog crap if you would be so kind.) Hannah xx


	14. The Plan

A/N OK, first of all I want to thank all of you for being so patient with me while I took a break. I really needed it to sort out my ideas and get some of them onto the page so that I can make that final push towards the end of this story. This one is a long one (comparatively) to make up for the long wait. Oh yeah, and I'm not sure when the next chapter will be finished or posted (don't hurt me!)… It's been started, and is already about five pages, but it has a long way to go until you guys can read it. So, you'll know when I upload it, until then, you'll just have to make do with what I _can_ give you. So on that note, read and enjoy, and don't forget to leave me a message saying how evil I am that I've had all this time to finish the story and I haven't. Believe me, I feel your pain.

**February 19****th**** 2009**

As Booth walked down one of the upper-level corridors of the Jeffersonian, past the smaller of the three layout rooms and a staircase leading down towards the work platform, he paused outside of Temperance's office. Usually, when the door was shut like is was now, chances were she was busy, either in a meeting or working on something that required her complete concentration. He had said that he would come by to check on her when he got back from an interview, letting her know that he probably wouldn't be there until eight o'clock at the earliest, so he wasn't surprised that she had busied herself until he arrived. He didn't want to intrude if she _was_ busy or with someone, he'd just pop his head round the door and see if she needed anything. Then he would leave. Unless she wanted him to stay.

He tapped his knuckles against the door and opened it, scanning the room to see where she was. As he spotted her sitting on an armchair in the little seating area, not in her usual spot on the couch, he noticed that she had company. He wasn't sure who, as he could only see the back of his (definitely a his) head, but she seemed to be having a fairly informal conversation with him. He cleared his throat by way of an interruption. "Hey, Bones, got a second?"

"Sure." She turned her attention back to the visitor and said, "Excuse me for a minute, Sully."

Booth's words caught in his throat for a moment. Did he hear that right? _Sully? _

**February 20****th**** 2009**

Temperance and Cam were perplexed. When they had received the remains of an elderly woman earlier in the week, nothing had seemed out of the ordinary except the fact that she had been found apparently tied to a tree in a heavily wooded area. Once they had transported the body back to the lab, however, it had become clear that her cause of death was one that the team had been seeing a little too often in the past four months – the victims had all been tortured until they were unconscious, left in an isolated area, and ultimately either died a slow death from their wounds or, in the case of the elderly woman, by being devoured alive by animals that were attracted by the smell of blood.

"So what do you think, Doctor Brennan? Are we dealing with a serial killer or not?"

"Well, I can't answer that definitively at the moment, but the wounds and tool marks on the bones do appear to be consistent with that of the previous victims."

"And when will you be able to answer definitively?"

"I don't know. I'll try to make it a priority, but I'm still backed up on paperwork from the last two cases."

"Really? That doesn't sound like you."

Temperance glanced at her superior and couldn't help but glare at her. "I'm aware of that. It's just that I used to spend the majority of the evening working in my office, then went home and worked some more. Now, all I want to do at the end of the day is go home and sleep. So I'm having to fit all of the paperwork into my lunch breaks." She turned her head at the sound of someone coming onto the platform, and was surprised to see Booth. "I thought you were going to question the suspect? You've only been gone ten minutes."

"I left the case file around here somewhere," he replied, scanning the area and picking it up from Hodgins' workstation where he left it. "What's this I hear about working through lunch breaks?"

"Nothing."

"Doctor Brennan appears to be feeling the full effects of pregnancy." She turned to Booth conspiratorially and said, "She's getting tired easily."

He raised an eyebrow and looked at her for a moment. She felt like he was studying her, not looking _at_ her, but _into_ her. "Really?"

"It's a normal consequence of pregnancy."

"I know that."

"And I'm not working any harder than I was before – I'm just working more during the day and then going home earlier."

"OK…"

"So it's not a problem."

"Right. You know, you don't have to explain yourself to me."

"Really? Because I was under the impression that, in every other facet of the past seven months, you have questioned everything I've done. And I might have known that you'd have an opinion on this, too."

"Alright, calm down. Do you just work at lunch, or do you eat as well?"

"What?" she asked, completely ready for a fight with him, but now slightly confused as to why they weren't actually arguing. "Of course I eat. I couldn't _not_ eat, have you seen how much food I've been getting through lately?"

"Do you really want me to answer that?"

"Haven't you got work to be doing?" She scowled at him, then turned her back to him and went back to working on the remains in front of her. She felt a little bad for snapping at him, but she assumed that he would understand that she had a very short fuse lately – especially when it came down to her eating habits. She had heard the old adage 'eating for two' quoted to her far too often of late, and was starting to get paranoid that she was getting overweight.

"I guess that's my cue to leave. Cam, can I have a word?"

"Sure." They made the short walk to her office in silence, only speaking once they were inside and the door was shut behind them. "What's up?"

Cam took a deep breath, mentally steeling herself for what she was about to say. If he was half as stubborn as Temperance, she knew she was about to have a fight on her hands. "I want Doctor Brennan to take maternity leave."

"Is that because you're worried about her, or because you're sick of working with her while she's so… hormonal?"

"It's both. But she won't like me telling her to stay home, so I need you to do it."

"Are you kidding? No way! She will _kill _me!"

"I don't think she's moving too fast these days, I'm sure you'll be fine."

"That's mean. Kinda funny, but mean."

"Don't tell her I said that, I don't want her to yell at me like she just did to you. She's got a lot of rage right now. Hence why I'm asking you to do this for me."

"Do I have to?"

"Seeley, stop whining. You know I would tell her myself if I could. But she listens to you."

"Have you actually met her before? Since when does she listen to _anything_ I tell her?"

"Well, that's the solution – don't _tell_ her to take the leave, suggest it. Let her think it was her own idea. And if all else fails, we'll get Angela to guilt her into it. Deal?"

He really didn't think that she would listen to him and take his advice, but he suddenly had an idea, like the proverbial light bulb had flashed above his head, of someone who she might listen to. "I'll see what I can do. But you owe me one!"

**February**** 21****st**** 2009**

"Hey, Sully!" Booth began, jogging to catch up to him in the hallway as he was on his way to the elevator from his office. "Aren't you supposed to be in the Caribbean?"

"Gee, Booth, it's good to see you too. I'm fine, thanks for asking. Working here again is going well, too."

"Yeah, great, anyway," he began, brushing off Sully's attempt at making him feel bad. "I need a favour."

"After that heartfelt greeting? No way, man."

"Aw, come on, Sully. You know I'm not the kind of guy to ask for favours. And anyway, it's not a favour for me."

"Well who's it for?"

"Bones."

"You may have piqued my interest."

"Thought I might. So, I need you to convince her to take maternity leave."

Sully let out a hearty laugh, then composed himself when he realised that Booth was serious. "You're not kidding, are you. What the heck makes you think she'll listen to me?"

"I don't think that, I just know that she won't listen to _me_. So you're my best shot."

"It's nice that you have so much confidence in me. But I'll see what I can do, OK?"

"Thanks, man, I appreciate it. And the sooner you can sit her down and talk to her, the better."

"You aren't expecting me to do this alone, are you? Don't you think you should be there?"

"What? Why?"

"Because it's your idea! Plus, I may need you to protect me from her."

Booth's cell phone began to ring, and as he looked at the caller ID, he realised he would have to continue this argument later. "Alright, I'll be there. But you need to grow a set, Sully," he called over his shoulder as he turned to walk back in the direction of his office.

A/N Part Deux A large part of what finally motivated me to finish this story is the fact that I got my exam results on the 20th, and I actually passed them all! So I'm going to university, to study forensic anthropology (yay)! It has made me want to rewatch all of the Bones episodes (though I seem to have lost season 2 – Natalie, do you have it?). Hit that button down there, people!


	15. The Start

A/N Howdy, me again – yeah, I know, twice in one week after so long away! So… I am actually in possession of the leaflet which is referred to in act one (written many moons ago), which is nothing for you to be concerned about – it was given to us in a pack during a visit that the 'abortion lady' made to my school last year (that's not her real name, in case you were wondering, and I'm also pretty certain that she wasn't there to encourage us to get abortions, I think she was there in more of a Christian, pro-life capacity). Why I still have this leaflet, and many more, is beyond me, but it has actually been quite useful for this chapter. So I dedicate this to the abortion lady, for the unique insight she has given me! Oh, and I have nothing against Jessica Simpson in the slightest, just so you know… Well, except that she dated John Mayer, I'm totally jealous. So, uh, italics = flashback. Oh yeah, and there's an F-bomb, so I apologise if that offends you! But whatever, read and enjoy! [A/N This chapter was reuploaded on May 23rd 2010 due to page break errors]

**March 14****th**** 2009**

Angela and Temperance had a weekly ritual, one that occurred, without fail, every Monday morning in Temperance's office. One of them would go for coffee (this alternated each week) and greet the other in the lab with a steaming cup of the stuff and a muffin, and from there they would go into her office. They would sit on the sofa and mark off the previous week on the calendar, and discuss any developments or things that needed to be talked about. It was almost like a bonding exercise between the two women, but it also served a purpose – Angela got to know everything about the pregnancy, and Temperance got to talk about what was happening and didn't feel like anything had to be bottled up anymore. This morning, Angela had brought the coffee to Temperance's new home over the garage, and as she sat herself down on the sofa, she gazed at the calendar that her friend had set out already, and was surprised to see that, in the middle of the previous week (on her birthday, to be precise), Temperance had hit the seven-month mark. And that meant that, in just two months time, she and Jack would finally be getting the baby that they longed for, and had been waiting for so long to finally hold in their arms.

Temperance got up and walked over to the small cabinet by the front door, and opened the draw where she kept her bag when she wasn't using it. She rummaged around inside for a while until she found what she was looking for, and sat back down again.

"What's that?" Angela asked, nodding in the direction of the tattered leaflet that Temperance had in her hand and was flicking through quickly.

"It's an information booklet that they gave me at the hospital. It tells you all of the milestones during pregnancy." She frowned as she scanned down the page to find what she was looking for, and then handed it over to Angela. "Here. It says that at six months gestation, the fetus starts using the four senses of touch, taste, sight and hearing. Do you know what that means?"

"My baby is already smarter than Jessica Simpson?"

"I don't know what that means, but I'm pretty certain that it's not what I'm referring to."

"It was a joke. What were you going to say?"

"That the fetus can distinguish voices. Which is why I think you should talk to him or her. I don't like the idea of it knowing my voice better than yours."

"Me either." Angela laughed softly as Temperance grabbed a pillow from behind her back and placed it on her lap.

"Go ahead."

**April 22****nd**** 2009**

After over a month of maternity leave, Temperance was starting to wish she had a hobby, other than 'working' on old cases, which basically consisted of reading over the related files and reports. She desperately missed work and the lab, and hated the fact that all she did all day was sit around. She hadn't wanted to take maternity leave at all, but when Booth and Sully had trapped her in her office and practically forced her to be lazy, she had no choice but to comply. She was beginning to wonder what had gotten in to her when she actually agreed…

"_I'm not even seven months pregnant yet, I've got at least one more month of being able to work, and you want me to cut it short?"_

_Booth's eyes narrowed as he realised what she was saying. "You weren't planning to take any maternity leave at all, were you?"_

"_I thought I might take a week or so before my due date, I'd just get bored if I took any longer than that."_

"_That's not the point, Tempe." Sully reached out and put his hand over hers, and Booth found himself bristling at his attempt at a reassuring gesture._

"_Listen, I know you both came here today because you are concerned, and because you care. And I know you probably aren't going to listen to anything I have to say on the subject. I think it's safe to say you would go so far as to lock me in my apartment if you had to. But, while I can't say that I agree with you, I think it would be easier for everyone if I took a leave of absence – _not_ maternity leave. It would cause far less arguments between everyone, that I just don't have the energy to deal with right now. But…"_

"_But?" Booth and Sully repeated in unison, and as they looked at each other questioningly, Temperance was certain she saw Booth scowl, just slightly._

"_But it has to be on my terms, OK? I am to be kept up to date on every case, and no one is to hesitate if they feel that my expertise would be needed in order to close said cases. I mean it – even though I'm not physically in the building, that does in no way mean that my mind won't be. Well, not literally, of course, but I presume you know what I'm trying to say."_

"_Yeah, I think we got it."_

**May 28****th**** 2009**

As Booth pulled his car into Hodgins and Angela's driveway, he suddenly realised just how thankful he was that he wasn't a squint – for one thing, if he was one of them, he would still be stuck in the lab right now; they were all working hard to identify a set of remains that had washed up on the banks of the Potomac, and until they did there was nothing he could do but sit around and twiddle his thumbs. So he had decided to take the rest of the afternoon off, and felt he should spend at least part of it with Bones. He knew how bored – and, somewhat surprisingly to him, lonely – she was at home by herself all day, so his good deed for the day would be to keep her amused. It definitely beat spending the whole day in his office, and truth be told, he missed seeing her every day. 'Must be a sign of the apocalypse,' he thought to himself as he got out of the car and locked the doors.

She actually looked relieved to see him, which pleased him more than he thought it should, and hurried him inside.

"I have been going out of my mind. I always thought I was quite capable of keeping myself amused when I wasn't working, but there's only so much self-amusement one can take. I need to have an intelligent conversation with someone!"

"Well, I probably won't be able to help you with that…"

"I don't care if it's _intelligent_ or not, as long as it's a conversation that I'm not having with myself."

They stood just inside the door for a moment, neither of them knowing exactly what to say, it had been so long since they had seen each other. Booth spoke first, which seemed to help her relax and loosen her tongue. "So how are you feeling?"

"I don't know… Weird I guess."

"Weird? What kind of weird?"

"Don't worry, it's nothing; I think it's just apprehension. I know I'm not due for another two weeks, but this baby could come any day now, and that frightens me. A lot."

"Well, you know if you say that you're going to jinx it."

"I won't even dignify that with a response," she said, walking across the room and into the kitchenette. "Would you like something to drink?"

"I'm fine, thank you. I should be getting drinks for you."

"I may be huge, but I can still move. Just about." She placed her hands on her stomach and sighed, frowning down at herself.

"You're not huge…" He shook his head as she scowled at him.

"Then why are you staring at me? Is it because I look like I belong in a sideshow?"

"Of course not!" he replied, slightly flustered. "You look great."

"Really? Not enormous? Grossly bloated? _Repugnant_?"

"No! You're glowing, your hair looks… nice. Really nice. Uh, anyway," he said, clearing his throat and picking up a file from the coffee table. "I brought you something."

She beamed at him and came to sit next to him on the sofa (as quickly as she could at this stage in her pregnancy), flicking through the crime scene photos and case notes. "You remembered!"

"Of course I did. You made such a fuss about how much you missed work, how could I forget?"

"So talk me through the case."

* * *

Booth had spent so long explaining every facet of the case to Temperance, and she had insisted on knowing every detail about the victim and every suspect, that by the time he was finished, it was starting to get late. It was the beginning of summer, so the sky was still light, but a chill was starting to breeze in through the open windows of the main room. As she got up to begin closing some of them, she heard her stomach rumble insistently.

"Do you want to stay for dinner? I'm in the mood for Chinese, and you always say food tastes better when it's shared… which I've never understood, really."

"Sure, that sounds good."

After they had phoned their favourite take-out place and arranged for the food to be delivered to the front of the main house, Booth suggested that Temperance pick a movie to watch – the only ones she had brought with her from home were the ones she hadn't had chance to watch yet, so she only had a limited choice, but she settled for an action film, which surprised him. They had only watched the opening credits (after all of the copyright announcements and trailers for upcoming features that couldn't be skipped through) when the intercom on the wall next to the front door began to buzz to alert them that the delivery man was trying to gain entrance to the property. Booth went out to the front of the house to collect it from him, and when he came back, Temperance realised just how hungry she actually was. She didn't have time to bother with plates, and since she figured that Booth probably wouldn't mind eating from the take-out cartons, she grabbed the bag of food from him before he was even inside the apartment.

"Hungry?" he asked with a grin.

"Don't worry, I won't eat it all."

By the time they had finished their dinner they still had half of the movie left to watch, so they reclined on the sofa. Booth had been enthralled by the movie, but hadn't been expecting the bad guy's gun to go off quite so soon, or quite so loudly. It had startled him, to say the least. Well more like scared the bejeezus out of him. So much so that he had practically jumped out of his skin, and he thought Temperance had had the same reaction when he felt her head against his shoulder. But when he looked down, and was about to comfort her, he saw that she wasn't scared witless, but had fallen asleep. 'Only Bones,' he thought as he slipped his arm around her shoulders.

He could feel her breath through the thin material of his shirt. As he peered down at her again, he could only think of one thing – 'she's really beautiful when she's asleep… And a lot less annoying.'

* * *

He was kissing Temperance Brennan. He wasn't sure how or why or even when it happened, but it did – it was. She was somewhere between awake and asleep (he hoped it was closer to the former), but she was definitely kissing back.

She mumbled something against his lips, and at first he couldn't work out what she had said, but he suddenly realised as she was pushing him away that it had been 'ouch'. He was barely touching her, with just the fingertips of his left hand resting on her cheek, so why she was in pain was a complete mystery to him.

"I think I'm having a contraction…"

"Oh God! This is all my fault!"

"While you're quite a good kisser, Booth, I don't think it is."

"I'm not sure whether to be insulted or flattered..." He shook his head, focussing on the task in hand. "We should go to the hospital."

"The books all say labour takes hours. We don't have to hurry," she said through gritted teeth, totally unconvincingly.

"I am not delivering this baby, Temperance, so I'm going to take you to the hospital, OK?"

"You're right. Let's go."

"If you telling me that I'm right is a side-effect of pregnancy, I think I should tell Angela that if she wants more kids, she should do it soon… A guy could get used to being right…"

"We should call Angela and Hodgins."

"We'll do it on the way."

As he helped her towards the door, she stopped. Despite him trying to lighten the mood, she was struck by how unprepared she suddenly felt. "I'm scared," she said, looking up at him, her voice barely above a whisper.

"You have nothing to be afraid of. Listen to me, Temperance, you can do this."

She stared at him incredulously. "It's not like this is optional!"

"Exactly. So let's go."

"I can do this. I can, I can, I can." She repeated the mantra to herself as they got a little closer to the door. If Sweets were here right now he'd be spouting some rubbish about the power of positive thinking. She didn't believe any of what he said, but if it was going to get her out of the house, she could pretend for a little while.

"That's the right attitude to have. Who can do it?"

"I can!" She groaned and gripped his arm as another contraction hit her hard, and tried to fight the urge to run away and hide. "I can't!" she said, letting a sob escape from her mouth.

"Remember what you said to me? Women have been doing this every day for millions of years, and this time will be no different?"

"I didn't say that. That's stupid."

"You did say it, and it's true. You are the strongest, bravest woman I have ever met, so there is no reason why you can't do this."

"Why are you being so nice to me? I'm digging my nails into your arm quite hard."

"I'm always nice to you! And I'm hoping that once the adrenalin wears off you won't remember that I said you were brave. That's the sort of thing you won't ever let me forget. I can just imagine the fun you'd have out in the field with that…"

She let a tear escape and as it ran down her cheek, she fiercely wiped it away. "I don't want to do this! I have no idea what I'm doing, I'm completely out of my depth!"

"OK, how about this as an incentive; as soon as you're home from the hospital, I'll take you out and all the drinks will be on me, how does that sound?"

"Fucking fantastic," she replied through gritted teeth.

* * *

Out in Booth's car, the gravity of the situation hit Temperance, and she started to panic as she dialled Angela's, and then Hodgins' cell phones, neither time getting a response. "Why aren't either of them answering?"

"Um… Maybe they're in a meeting? Or there's no reception, you know how bad it is in some parts of the building. Especially in Limbo." That seemed to reassure her, and she closed the phone with a sigh, resting it on her lap so she could try again later. "They won't miss the birth, you know. Like you said, labour takes a while. But just in case…" He leant over in his seat and flipped a switch to activate the siren and flashing lights, and began to speed through the newly-created path cleared by the other cars on the road.

"I don't think you're supposed to abuse your power by using the siren in this kind of situation, Booth."

"It's for emergencies. Is this not an emergency?"

"Not really. My water hasn't even broken yet."

He laughed. "If we were in a movie, it would have done just as you said that." His eyes suddenly widened and he looked at her purposefully. "It didn't, did it?"

"Don't worry, your car interior is still dry."

"It's not the car I'm worried about…"

A/N 2 Dudes, I still haven't decided what gender the baby will be! And don't even get me started on names! Suggestions? Please?


	16. The Middle

A/N You, dear sweet readers, are truly awesome! Anyone ever told you that? The support, the suggestions (thanks OoTammyoO, Hikari-Kayko, iAttack Mentally, Julialein and cmf227! I think I've finally picked a name!), the love – this story wouldn't exist if it weren't for you, so I thank you all from the bottom of my rather small, slightly blackened heart. I don't normally gush like this. But each of you rock. So anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter, it's the penultimate one (or the first part of the end, if that makes more sense). Probably. And I know this would _never_ happen in real life, but stick with it, OK? Thanks for reading! [A/N This chapter was reuploaded on May 23rd 2010 due to page break errors]

**May 28****th**** 2009**

"Tell me again why we are taking a break in Limbo?" Hodgins asked his wife with a quizzical expression on his face.

"It's quiet. There are no machines bleeping at us. The light isn't that harsh. I've been sat in front of a computer screen checking missing persons' databases for hours, you've been analysing every little bit of… stuff… that came off the remains, and we're getting nowhere. I figured maybe I could even take a nap in here."

"Alright, while you do that I'm going to text Fisher to make sure he doesn't touch any of my samples while we're gone. They are organised very specifically and the last thing I need is…"

"What?"

"No service," he replied, waving his phone around over his head and to the side of his body to try and get some bars to appear on the screen.

"There's never any service in here. When I first started here, I used to think I'd be able to sneak in and call my boyfriends. No such luck."

He arched an eyebrow at her and shook his head. "Now, aren't you glad we work together?"

"Always, dear."

"I'll go out into the hallway. I swear to God, if he so much as looks at those samples, I…"

As the lights all went out around them, Angela sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. "What now?"

Somewhere in front of her, Hodgins replied, "Don't be alarmed, dear, but I can't seem to open the door."

"My big, strong husband can't open a door? You're kidding, right?"

"I wish. This power cut may have something to do with it. Remember that security code we had to punch in to get in here?"

"So, what? We're stuck in here?" She ran up to the door and peered through the glass panel. She could barely make out her own face reflected back at her from the light on Hodgins' cell phone, let alone anyone who could help them out.

"Well, I'm sure the power will come back in a second."

"If it doesn't, you have to smash the glass."

"With what? Look how thick it is!"

"Oh, I don't know, maybe one of the many _bones_ that are just lying around in here!" Angela could feel herself starting to hyperventilate. She had hoped to come in here to relax, and now they were trapped. That was the complete opposite of relaxing. "We didn't even tell anyone where we were going – we could die in here before they ever find us!"

"Ange, that's not going to happen. We work in the _anthropology_ department; this would be one of the first places they would look."

"God, I hope you're right."

Almost two hours had passed, Angela and Hodgins sat beside each other against the wall, and they had exhausted almost every topic of conversation. Neither of them were feeling very talkative, but every time there was a lull in the discussion, thoughts of their co-workers eventually discovering their mummified remains crept into Angela's, and even her husband's mind, as much as he told himself that it was complete nonsense.

"Why the hell is every door in the place powered by electricity? Surely they knew something like this would happen when they were installed! And shouldn't there be some kind of back-up generator?"

"Angela, would you calm down? You're not helping yourself by freaking out."

Suddenly, Angela sat bolt upright and turned to him with a strange look on her face.

"Do you hear something?"

He listened for what she was referring to, and suddenly perked up when he realised he could hear it too. "Yeah… It sounds like something vibrating."

Angela's eyes widened as she realised where the vibration was coming from – her cell phone was ringing in her lab coat pocket. "At last!" Relieved that they could finally use their cell phones and that they may be one step closer to being rescued, she pressed the begin call button and answered, "Brennan? Thank god, have you been trying to call for long?"

"_Yeah, what's going on? Where are you?"_

"Jack and I are locked in Limbo. I need you to call Cam and tell her to send a rescue team?"

"_Why are you in Limbo? And how did you get locked in?"_

"It's a long story. Anyway, what did you call for?"

"_Well…"_

* * *

"Angela, calm down – the guy from the installation company is here now; you'll be out in no time!" Cam was shouting through the door, but wasn't sure how successfully she was being heard, although it wasn't because she _couldn't _be heard, more likely because she couldn't be heard over Angela yelling back at her. Turning to the man whose name she learnt was Larry, she nodded and said, "Go ahead."

"Listen buddy, I'm about to have a baby, so if you don't get me out of here _now_, you are going to be _really_ sorry." He looked through the glass panel in the door, his gaze travelling from Angela's scowling eyes to her obviously not pregnant stomach and back up to her face again. "It's a _very_ long story that you don't have time to hear right now. Come on, chop chop!"

After finally arriving at the hospital, Temperance and Booth were quickly whisked away to the right part of the hospital by a nurse who looked far too young to have any kind of qualification. Once they were settled in a room, Temperance's fear started to come back to her – this was suddenly starting to feel very real, and she didn't like it one bit.

Booth had spent the best part of twenty minutes trying to console her, but nothing seemed to have an effect on her. He took her hand, squeezing it gently before placing a tender kiss on each knuckle. "You can do this. I know you can."

She shut her eyes tightly and sighed. "I need something to distract me."

"I'll think of something," he said with a grin.

"Not _that_, Booth, I'm in labour!"

"What? I wasn't thinking of _that_!"

"Well, intercourse _is_ proven to speed up labour progression…"

"You did _not_ just say that!"

She shrugged and continued regardless of his embarrassment. "Oh, I know what we can talk about! Why did you kiss me?"

"Um… I don't know."

"Oh."

"Well, I _do_ know, but it's obvious to you, isn't it?" When she just looked at him blankly, he continued. "It's because I… I like you." He turned away when he began to blush, and she laughed at him.

"Because you _like_ me? What kind of logic is that? I like Angela, but I don't try to seduce her while she sleeps. Imagine what Jack would think."

"I don't think he'd mind that much… Anyway, did that distract you for long enough?"

"It did, but now you've reminded me that I needed distracting in the first place. Anyway, what were you thinking?"

"Huh?"

"When you said you would come up with something to distract me. Did you?"

"Oh, yeah." He took a deep breath and rubbed his eyes, thinking of how to word it. "I think I'm falling in love with you. How's that for a distraction?"

He wasn't sure whether to be annoyed or grateful when the baby-faced nurse came back into the room again. Annoyed that he wouldn't get any kind of reply, but incredibly grateful that he wouldn't have to get the reply that he didn't want to hear. "OK, Miss Brennan, I'll examine you now if you're ready." When she nodded in response, the nurse turned to Booth and added, "We'll need some privacy, sir, if you wouldn't mind waiting outside?"

"Sure. Bones, I'll call Cam, see if Jack and Ange are free yet."

When he was gone, the nurse (whose name she hadn't bothered to learn) began the exam, and much to Temperance's chagrin, she tried to make small talk with her. While she had her hands on a part of her anatomy that she wasn't used to having handled in such a manner.

"So, why does he call you Bones?"

"It's a long story. You probably don't have time to hear it."

"Well, I hope I get to hear it before my shift ends. Isn't it adorable when your boyfriend has a cute little nickname for you?"

"I wouldn't know."

The nurse just shrugged and figured that she had one of _those_ women today, and continued to poke and prod. "Is he excited about being a dad?"

Temperance sighed, but realised that this would be the last time she would ever have to tell the story again, and also the last time she would ever completely confuse anyone with it, so she let rip in her favourite way – the kind that made the person on the receiving end of the information feel _very_ uncomfortable. "He's not the father." When she noticed the desired response on the nurse's face, she continued. "I'm not the mother. I'm incubating the fetus for a friend and her husband. It's all very normal, really."

"OK… Well, you're two centimetres dilated, so you're going to be here a while longer. Just holler if you need anything!" With that, she noisily ripped off her latex gloves and tossed them in a bin on her way out of the door.

Temperance breathed a sigh of relief once she was out of earshot, and muttered under her breath, "I certainly will not."

After a few moments of sitting in the room alone, drifting in and out of the news broadcast that was currently on the TV bracketed on to the wall opposite her, Booth finally came back in. Temperance immediately perked up.

"Well? Are they on their way?"

"Cam said they're still stuck. But the guy's working on it." He sat back down in the chair next to her bed, and handed her a newspaper he had bought from the gift shop near the bank of pay phones.

"Angela will be crushed if they miss the birth."

He squeezed her hand tightly, and was relieved when she squeezed back. "They'll be here, don't worry."

"Did Cam say how long?"

"No. Just that the power is back on, but the door still won't open, so he's having to cut through it. He thinks the circuit blew in the key pad that opens the door. So it's just going to be you and me for a little longer."

She looked down at their intertwined fingers and smiled to herself. "About before…"

"We'll talk about it later. Try and get some rest, OK?"

A/N2 How lame was that whole 'falling in love with you' thing? I tried so hard not to make it mushy and sappy because I don't think that's necessarily who Booth is, but apparently that _is_ who I am. I'm watching a TV show about flower arrangements for weddings right now, which should give you a hint. Don't leave me any nasty reviews please, I'm delicate.


	17. The End

A/N Howdy hey, guys and girls! How are we all? This would have been up a lot sooner if I didn't have to make 60 cupcakes for my sister's dance troupe at the weekend (I offered, I'm clearly crazy, and if I never see another orange cake again it will be too soon). But enough about that. I wrote my first story with a birth in it when I was 16, and I prefaced it with the warning that I had never had a child and therefore had no idea what it was like to give birth – I am now 18, and that warning still stands. Someone actually said to me 'never apologize for _not_ being pregnant at 16', which I always found kind of funny. So yeah, I usually find a way to write around it, but today I am facing the challenge head-on. For those keeping score, these past three chapters pretty much have all taken place over the same day, so don't get confused. Also: I just completely left out all of the legal side of surrogacy, partly because it's boring, and partly because I barely understand it. So don't tell me that I don't know what I'm doing, OK? [A/N This chapter was reuploaded on May 23rd 2010 due to page break errors]

**May 28****th**** 2009**

When Angela and Hodgins still hadn't arrived almost three hours after they had got to the hospital, Temperance and Booth were starting to think they would never show up. She couldn't imagine how they would all feel if the baby was born before everyone was where they were meant to be. This just seemed like one more thing that was preventing Angela and Hodgins from being a happy family. She could just picture herself giving birth alone, terrified and going out of her mind, wondering when they would get the baby they wanted so badly. Leaning over in the bed as much as she could to where he had falling asleep, she poked Booth in the shoulder. She needed someone to talk to, and he was all she had.

"Booth, I need to ask you a favour."

"Sure, anything." He straightened up and rubbed his eyes, trying not to look like he was as sound asleep as he was, knowing that she was uncomfortable and exhausted already herself.

"If Angela and Hodgins don't make it…"

"They will," he interrupted. "They'll be here."

"But if they aren't. You have to promise you'll stay with me. I can't do this alone."

"Of course I will. Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere. I'll always be here, Temperance."

She blushed at the intimacy of what he was saying to her. "Thank you."

**May 29****th**** 2009**

Angela and Hodgins had learnt quickly that the door Larry was trying to cut through wasn't just your average door – it was the kind that was heavily secured (although why anyone would want to steal a bunch of bones was a complete mystery to her) and simply removing it from its hinges wasn't a viable option. And they would have been out a lot sooner if Larry had come prepared with something more substantial than a hacksaw.

"OK, guys, I'm almost through," Larry shouted through the door. "Stand back!"

Without much warning, the door to Limbo collapsed inwards, and the two captives were ushered out into the hallway. They were finally free, and neither had ever been so glad to see Cam before. After breathing a quick sigh of relief and thanking whatever force that was out there, they sped off past the crowd of people that had gathered to see them emerge.

"Coming through, we're gonna go have a baby! Oh, and thanks, Larry!" Angela shouted over her shoulder as they rounded the corner. Then they were alone together, hurrying out of the building and towards the parking structure. Once they were at their car, they climbed in and before either had had chance to fasten their seatbelts, Hodgins had pealed out of the parking space and was driving away.

All Angela could do was sigh deeply, and try to get her head around what had just happened to them. She was convinced that she had missed the birth of her baby already. It was half past one in the morning, and Temperance had called her almost five hours ago. She knew that labour could take a while before anything started happening, but her friend always had been an overachiever.

* * *

This was a pain like nothing she had ever felt before. Of course, she had felt pain in the past, but it paled in comparison. All those horror stories that she had heard about labour were true. She held her eyes tightly closed, all she could see were tiny pinpricks of light flashing before her, and her body felt like it was on fire.

'_OK, Temperance, focus. Don't think about the pain; concentrate on what you have to do'_. Her internal pep talk worked for a little while, but she was finding it hard to focus completely on pushing. She had tried to block everything out that was going on in the delivery room, but she could hear the midwife telling her to take a break, and that it would all be over soon. She just had to push for a little longer. But she felt like she couldn't take anymore. _'Focus, Tempe, you have to try. Just think.'_ Suddenly it came to her. She had a renewed energy, and she was ready to go again.

"Push for me again, Temperance, you're nearly there," the midwife was saying, but her voice seemed far away.

"Come on, Sweetie, you can do it!" Angela's voice this time. Then she left Temperance's side for a moment, and she could hear her calling Jack in from the hallway, where he sat with Booth trying to wrap his head around his impending fatherhood.

She pushed with all her might, and to keep her mind on the task, but off the pain, she recited all the bones in the human skeleton to herself. She found comfort in their familiar names, the facts, her own knowledge. _'Start at the top, and work your way down: frontal bone, parietal, temporal, occipital, sphenoid, ethmoid…'_ The midwife stopped her, and Temperance felt herself gasping for breath. She was tired, but she had to keep going. _'Zygoma, nasal bone, mandible, maxilla…'_

"It's a boy!"

She wasn't looking, wasn't listening and was barely feeling anything when she sensed the atmosphere in the room change. It was over, and as she opened her eyes, she looked up to see both Angela and Jack crying, the midwives smiling and flashes that she assumed was someone taking pictures. She couldn't see the baby, but she could definitely hear him.

It was over.

After Temperance and the baby were checked over, Angela and Jack fawned over him while she rested, leaning back against her pillow and serenely watching what was going on around her.

Catching her looking out of the corner of her eye, Angela came over to stand beside her and asked, "Do you want a minute alone with the baby?"

"Do you mind?"

"Of course not, Sweetie. Take as long as you need."

She waited for everyone to leave and for the last person out to shut the door behind them, then leaned over to the small Perspex crib next to her. She didn't want to hold him, not yet, but she traced her index finger lightly over his tiny nose, his delicate cheeks and his ears. She touched his wispy hair and his little toes. He was easily what others would describe as cute, and the perfect mix of Angela and Jack – dark curls and striking eyes. She was glad that it was all over, and that she could go back to how she was before, but part of her was almost sad – how would she feel now that no one would be kicking her in the ribs of the middle of the night, or with no one around to force her to take care of herself? More than anything, she felt very alone. She watched him sleep for a few more minutes, before a knock at the door made her look up to see Booth poke his head round the door. She had supposed he had come to look at the infant, although why people were so obsessed with looking at them she hadn't quite understood (though she understood why she was so fascinated by it, the baby had grown inside her). The last time she had seen him was what must have been a few hours ago, when he was being ushered out by the midwife.

"Hey, how are you feeling?"

"Hi. I'm OK. Tired. But otherwise fine."

His eyes settled on the sleeping form in the crib, and he went over to get a glimpse of the new baby. "Is this him? He's gorgeous."

"No, that's some other baby that they put in here."

"Glad to see you're up to being sarcastic. Are you alright?"

"Yes, I think so. This is all very strange." And it was – she generally _felt_ strange, and the only word she could think of to describe it was empty. Since she hadn't had a drink in a while (her sense of time was completely skewed), all of this talking in hushed tones that she and Booth were doing was making her throat hurt. All in all, Temperance was uncomfortable, to say the least. But underneath all that, she had a strange feeling of being relaxed at the same time – she put it down to the fact that everyone around her, especially Angela and Hodgins, were so happy, and she was happy about finally not being pregnant any more.

Booth squeezed her shoulder and smiled at her. "I'm proud of you."

"Really?"

"Of course. You did good."

"I think you mean 'well'. But thank you."

"You're _wel_-come. Is there anything I can do for you?"

"Just one thing." She stroked her palm against his cheek and pulled him closer to her, gently touching her lips to his.

**June 1****st**** 2009**

Temperance, Angela and Booth were holding their own 'welcome home' party for the new baby. They were currently sitting in Angela's living room, enjoying a glass of wine and take out pizza, mostly talking about all things baby-related. They had come home from the hospital the night before, and Temperance (who was preparing to move out of the apartment over the garage) had heard about how the new parents had barely got any sleep when she came over to spend the day with them. Nevertheless, they were both lively, probably because they were so happy to finally be a family.

Booth drained his wine glass and set it down on the table before turning to Angela. "So did you finally settle on a name?"

"Booth, this is not the kind of decision one takes lightly! Although it took a long time and a lot of soul-searching, but I think we came up with a good one in the end."

"Well?"

"Well…" She took a deep breath and stroked her son's cheek, gazing down at him adoringly. "We wanted a classic first name, which was unusual enough that when he went to school he wouldn't have the same name as every other boy in his class at school. And we wanted him to have Jack's family middle name. And the names we wanted couldn't jar with the double-barreled surname."

"So what are the names?" Booth probed, no longer being able to take the suspense. How was he meant to teach this kid to pick up women if he didn't know his name?

"I swear to God, Booth, if you say anything about it being a late April Fools joke, I'll kill you." Angela looked over at Temperance and smiled. "Gabriel Brennan Stanley Montenegro-Hodgins. But I think Gabe will suffice."

Temperance looked up. "You named him after me?"

"We want him to know where he came from, and be proud of what his aunt did for him. We're all proud of you."

Temperance didn't quite know what to make of that, but she was pretty certain that, from a modern standpoint, it was fairly significant. Certainly from an anthropological point of view, giving a child the name of someone close to you, albeit usually a dead relative, was an ancient tradition that served the purpose of facilitating the recognition of family groups. She presumed Angela and Hodgins thought of her as family if they were willing to name their child after her, which thrilled her more than she would ever tell them, especially since her experience of family was different to most peoples'. She suddenly felt a rush of love for this child that she had no biological connection to, and was compelled to do everything she could to be a good aunt to him, as good as she could possibly be. Apparently, this was her maternal instinct kicking in.

"Ange, can I hold him?"

"Of course you can! Come on, Gabe, your aunty Bren wants to give you a cuddle." Angela picked up Gabe from the Moses basket where he was sleeping and carried him over to where Temperance was sitting. "I'm just going to go get more wine, I'll be back in a second."

She went out of the room, but not before giving Booth a subtle 'keep an eye on them' look, leaving him and Temperance were alone with the baby. "So, Bones, how does it feel?"

"What, the baby? A bit damp, is that normal?" This was the first time she had held him, after a few days of not feeling ready yet, but now that she was, she thought about how abstract the concept of him growing inside of her felt now.

"Very. What I meant was, does holding Gabe make you wish you hadn't given him up? Or are you glad you did?"

"I must admit, I was worried that I was becoming too attached to him, but when hewas born I was just so happy that Jack and Angela had their baby that I forgot all about how I felt. Now, I assume this is what aunts and uncles feel like – I love Gabe, but I like knowing that I can go home in a little while and do whatever I want without having the needs of an infant to hold me back."

"You mean you can get drunk."

"No I don't. I mean that I value my freedom too much to have a child."

He shook his head and smiled. "You'll change your mind, you know."

"Maybe one day. But for the foreseeable future, definitely not."

* * *

Later that night, before she went back to her apartment to go to bed, Temperance went to find Angela. She had something she needed to say, and she didn't think it could wait until the morning. Eventually, she found her friend putting yet another load of laundry into the washing machine in the basement.

"What's up, Sweetie?" Angela asked, programming the machine and leaning back against it.

"Ange, I know I complained about all the favours you were asking of me, but I would just like to thank you."

"You… want to thank _me_?"

"Yes. If you had never asked me to be your surrogate, then I would have never been with Booth when the baby kicked, and I would have never spent so much time with him, and he would have never kissed me. Et cetera."

"Well, you're welcome, Sweetie. But do you have any idea how difficult it was for Jack and I to come up with something to even _begin_ to convey how grateful we are to you? Words can only do so much, you know?"

"I told you, you don't have to thank me."

"We both know that's not true. Now, we know you wouldn't take our money. Besides, if we're being totally honest, you _can't_ take our money since its illegal and you work so… _closely_… with the FBI. And you're not the kind of person who would accept any kind of lavish gift, like a car. And anything less would just be an insult. So…"

"So what?"

The baby monitor she had clipped to her belt alerted her that Gabe was crying in the nursery, and Angela began to walk away, but not before calling back to Temperance. "So, it's a surprise. But I can tell you that you and Booth will need to pack a bag. A big one."

A/N2 OK, so that's the end. Shed a tear with me! The name of the baby was an amalgam of all of the bazillion suggestions that I received (I wanted Brennan as the middle name anyway, and thankfully was assured that it is an actual name) and, bonus fact, every time I went to write Gabriel I always wrote 'Bagriel'. Which is not a real name, although maybe it should be – it's like bagel. Now, don't get all excited and grabby, but I may be writing more of this story – I haven't decided yet, but I think there is probably more that could be said. I just don't want to get your hopes up and then not be able to deliver the goods. If you have any ideas, feel free to drop me a line, and I'll see what I can do. In the mean time, I will be working on my next story, involving going undercover, dancing, and all kinds of other fun stuff.

Thank you so much to everyone who read, favourited, subscribed and reviewed, I love you all! In no particular order, special thanks to:

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If your name is in bold, congratulations, you are my most loyal reviewers! And yes, you do get a shout out, even if you only reviewed once to tell me I was writing Angela all wrong (you know who you are…). I share the love regardless. And I do love each and every one of you. No jokes. Hannah xx


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